Interim results from the phase 2 THIO-101 trial show that the investigational drug ateganosine (THIO), followed by the PD-1 inhibitor cemiplimab (Libtayo), achieved a 90.5% disease control rate in heavily pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Among 21 patients evaluated, 19 experienced either a complete response, partial response, or stable disease. This disease control rate is much higher than the 25% to 35% typically seen with standard third-line chemotherapy. Most patients had already stopped responding to chemotherapy, docetaxel, and previous immunotherapy.
The combination continued to show a manageable safety profile, although detailed side effect data have not yet been released.
Ateganosine is designed to damage cancer cell DNA by targeting telomeres, which may help activate the immune system and make tumors more responsive to immunotherapy such as cemiplimab.
The FDA granted ateganosine Fast Track designation in 2025. In June 2026, the agency also cleared an updated investigational application, allowing MAIA Biotechnology to expand enrollment in the THIO-101 trial across the United States.