IO Biotech Announces Positive Results from Phase 2 Trial of IO102-IO103 in the First-line Treatment of Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

-- Study Meets Overall Response Rate Primary Endpoint, Encouraging Secondary Endpoint Progression-Free Survival Data in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck Cohort --

-- No New Safety Signals or Added Systemic Safety Concerns Observed --

-- Data Presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress --

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IO Biotech (Nasdaq: IOBT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, off-the-shelf, immune-modulating therapeutic cancer vaccines, announced promising data from the Phase 2 basket trial of IO102-IO103, the company’s lead investigational therapeutic cancer vaccine candidate, in combination with Merck’s (known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada) anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) (IOB-022/KN-D38) at the 2024 ESMO Congress in Barcelona from September 13-17.

The presentation contained clinical and biomarker data from a cohort of patients with recurrent or metastatic (advanced) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with PD-L1 CPS ≥ 20 (PD-L1 high), contributing to the growing body of research supporting the potential clinical benefit of this combination regimen for these patients. The data from 18 efficacy evaluable patients demonstrated:

• Achievement of the primary endpoint – confirmed 44.4% overall response rate (ORR) in a PD-L1 high population of patients with SCCHN irrespective of HPV status.
• An encouraging 6.6-month median progression-free survival (PFS).
• A 66.7% disease control rate (DCR).
• A safety profile consistent with previously reported data when combined with anti-PD-1 monotherapy.
• T-cell responses to both IO102 (targeting IDO) and IO103 (targeting PD-L1) were detected after treatment.
  

“These encouraging data further support the potential of IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic SCCHN including HPV-positive and -negative patients,” stated Jonathan Riess, MD, principal investigator of the trial and Director, Thoracic Oncology at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Given the need for new treatment options that are effective, safe and accessible for head and neck cancer patients, further investigation of this combination should be conducted to build on the findings of this Phase 2 trial.”