Portage Biotech Reports Updated Interim Data for Lead iNKT Engager, PORT-2, in a Phase 1/2 Trial for the Treatment of Advanced Melanoma and Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer at the 2023 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting

• Interim data presented at ASCO show early evidence of single agent activity with meaningful reduction of several target lesions
• Based on the favorable safety and tolerability data at all doses tested to date, the Company intends to expand Phase 1 portion of the trial to evaluate higher dose levels; with data anticipated by end of 2023

WESTPORT, Conn., June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portage Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTG), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company advancing novel multi-targeted therapies for use as single agents and in combination, today announced updated interim data from the Phase 1 portion of the trial evaluating its lead invariant natural killer T cell (iNKT) engager, PORT-2 (IMM60), alone and in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in patients with advanced melanoma and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) presented in a poster presentation at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.

“We’re pleased to report early evidence of single agent activity for PORT-2, with interim tumor assessment data showing several target lesions were substantially reduced in size or completely resolved, and a majority of target lesions being clinically stable after twelve weeks,” said Dr. Ian Walters, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Portage Biotech. “We continue to see favorable safety data at the current high dose level of 9 mg/m². Given the promising signs of activity of PORT-2 at all dose levels tested and preliminary PK results, we believe there could be even greater benefit at an increased dose, which we plan to explore prior to starting the Phase 2 portion of this trial. Onboarding sites for the Phase 1/2 trial in the U.S. and E.U. is ongoing and we look forward to identifying the recommended dose and initiating the Phase 2 portion of the trial as we continue to evaluate the full potential of our iNKT engager both as a single agent as well as in combination.”

Dr. Nicholas Coupe, who is the first author, added, “There is a continued unmet need for improved treatment options, especially in these patient populations that have become resistant to prior therapies. We are pleased to see that Portage’s iNKT engager has shown that it can be safely administered in a heavily pre-treated patient population with no dose limiting toxicities, related severe adverse events (SAEs), or G3-5 related adverse events (AEs) observed. Enrollment of the Phase 1/2 trial for PORT-2 in combination with an anti-PD1 antibody is ongoing, with encouraging preliminary reduction in liver lesions observed, which is typically uncommon with immunotherapies. I look forward to continuing to evaluate its progress in ongoing trials.”