Clinical-stage biotech company ImmunoGenesis announced on Thursday that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its hypoxia reversal agent IMGS-101 (evofosfamide) in combination with Balstilimab (anti-PD-1) and Zalifrelimab (anti-CTLA-4) at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Tumour hypoxia (low oxygen levels) is an immunosuppressive factor in solid tumours. By reversing hypoxia, IMGS-101 may improve the efficacy of immunotherapies in cancer types that are otherwise resistant to immune-based treatments, ImmunoGenesis said.

The Phase 1/2, open-label, multicentre study consists of a dose escalation and expansion portion to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumour activity of IMGS-101 in combination with Balstilimab and Zalifrelimab in adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), pancreatic cancer and human papillomavirus-(HPV) negative squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The study is being conducted in collaboration with Agenus, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing the checkpoint inhibitors Balstilimab and Zalifrelimab.

ImmunoGenesis president and CEO James Barlow said: "Launching this trial represents a significant milestone in our mission to target key mechanisms of immune resistance. By targeting and reversing hypoxia, we aim to unlock the immune system's full potential and redefine the therapeutic landscape for these cancers with high unmet medical needs."