8 Patients With NSCLC Survive 2 Plus Years on Ateganosine Combo

MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. announced that eight patients with non-small cell lung cancer in an ongoing phase 2 THIO-101 clinical trial experienced overall survival exceeding two years when treated with ateganosine sequenced with Libtayo (cemiplimab), highlighting a potential new option for patients whose disease progressed after prior therapies.

Main data that support the findings of ateganosine and Libtayo

According to data presented March 27, 2026, at the European Lung Cancer Congress 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark, eight patients treated in Parts A and B of the THIO-101 trial achieved overall survival beyond two years without receiving additional lines of therapy after the study treatment.

Among these patients, one patient receiving third-line therapy had a survival of 33 months. In this setting, expected survival for heavily pre-treated patients is reported as 5.8 months. Four patients receiving second-line therapy had survival exceeding 30 months, compared with a documented overall survival of 10.5 months for standard-of-care treatments such as chemotherapy or checkpoint inhibitors alone in this setting.

All eight patients had previously received and did not respond to a checkpoint inhibitor alone before enrolling in the THIO-101 trial. Each patient completed between 29 and 34 cycles of therapy, except for one patient who completed two cycles and had a survival follow-up of 725 days off therapy.

At the time of reporting, five of the eight patients continued to be followed for survival outcomes.

The findings were described by the company as encouraging, particularly because the survival outcomes extended beyond the 24-month trial protocol and occurred without additional treatment following the study regimen.

Trial details of THIO-101

The THIO-101 study is a multicenter, open-label, dose-finding phase 2 clinical trial evaluating ateganosine followed by a PD-(L)1 inhibitor in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Ateganosine, also known as THIO or 6-thio-2’-deoxyguanosine, is an investigational telomere-targeting agent. Telomeres and the enzyme telomerase play a key role in cancer cell survival and resistance to treatment. Ateganosine is designed to induce telomeric DNA modification and damage, leading to cancer cell death and activation of immune responses.

The trial is designed to test whether giving ateganosine before Libtayo enhances and prolongs immune response in patients whose cancer progressed after earlier treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor. The study has two primary objectives: evaluating safety and tolerability and assessing clinical efficacy, with overall response rate as the main endpoint.

A total of 79 patients were treated in Parts A and B of the trial. An expansion phase, Part C, is currently enrolling up to 48 additional participants in Asia and Europe. This portion of the study will further evaluate overall response rates in patients receiving third-line therapy who have shown resistance to prior checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy.

The treatment approach in the trial involves sequencing ateganosine followed by Libtayo, also known as Libtayo.

Safety of ateganosine followed by Libtayo

Treatment with ateganosine followed by Libtayo has demonstrated an acceptable safety profile to date in a heavily pre-treated population of patients with cancer enrolled in the THIO-101 trial.

The study’s primary safety objective is to evaluate the tolerability of ateganosine both as an anticancer therapy and as a priming immune activator. While detailed side effects were not outlined in the report, the company noted that the regimen has been manageable for patients participating in the study so far.

Ongoing monitoring in both the phase 2 trial and a separate phase 3 pivotal trial will continue to assess safety and long-term outcomes for patients receiving this treatment approach.

Editor's note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, as your own experience will be unique. Use this article to guide discussions with your oncologist. Content was generated with AI, reviewed by a human editor, but not independently verified by a medical professional.

References

1. “MAIA Biotechnology Reports Overall Survival Exceeding Two Years for Eight Patients in Ongoing Phase 2 Clinical Trial in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer” News Release. MAIA Biotechnology, Inc., March 31, 2026

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