MAIA Biotechnology and Nationwide Children’s Hospital Announce Presentation of THIO’s Potency in Pediatric Brain Tumors at American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting

MAIA Biotechnology, Inc., (NYSE American: MAIA) (“MAIA”, the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted immunotherapies for cancer, today announced that Dr. Rachid Drissi, Principal Investigator at the Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Associate Professor at Ohio State University, will present an abstract detailing the potency of THIO, MAIA’s telomere-targeting agent, as treatment for pediatric brain cancers at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting taking place April 5–10, 2024 in San Diego, California.

The research was conducted in collaboration with Nationwide Children's Hospital and led by Dr. Drissi. The study explored the combination of THIO and ionizing radiation (IR) treatments to induce direct anticancer effects and stimulate anti-tumor immunity in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

DIPG, a very difficult-to-treat and high-risk childhood cancer, is a central nervous system (CNS) tumor that forms in the brainstem. Scientists from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and MAIA have shown that THIO synergistically sensitizes DIPG cells to ionizing radiation (IR), significantly decreasing cell proliferation.

“At the AACR Annual Meeting, we will present study results demonstrating the potential for THIO and IR combinational treatments to stimulate anti-tumor immunity through activation of the STING pathway, one of the key regulators of immune responses in a DIPG model,” said Sergei M. Gryaznov, PhD., MAIA’s Chief Scientific Officer. “Unfortunately, prognosis for DIPG is dismal with a survival rate of less than one year, and radiotherapy, the only standard of care for DIPG, extends survival by only a few months. Immunotherapy is emerging as a potential alternative. Novel therapies that activate the immune system while evading tumor immunosuppression are in high demand in the field of cancer research.”

“MAIA is excited to see that the results of our scientific collaborative work with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital were accepted for presentation at the AACR Annual Meeting, a gathering of many of the best minds in cancer research from institutions all over the world,” added Vlad Vitoc, M.D., CEO of MAIA.

MAIA’s presentation at the 2024 AACR Annual Meeting

Abstract #:
5108

Abstract title:
Immunomodulatory and Antitumor Effect of Radiation and Induced Telomere Damage to Treat Pediatric High-grade Gliomas

Authors:

• Banlanjo Umaru, Shiva Senthil Kumar (Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH)
• Sergei M. Gryaznov (MAIA Biotechnology, Inc., Chicago, IL)
• Rachid Drissi (Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH)

Presenter: