MAIA Biotechnology appoints HCC experts to scientific advisory board

CHICAGO - MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE American:MAIA), a $52.43 million market cap biotechnology company currently trading at $1.73 per share, has appointed two oncologists specializing in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to its Scientific Advisory Board, the company announced in a press release statement. According to InvestingPro analysis, MAIA shows a Fair financial health rating, with the advantage of holding more cash than debt on its balance sheet.

Claudia Fulgenzi, MD, and David J. Pinato, MD, MRCP (UK), PhD, will advise MAIA on designs and protocols for its upcoming company-sponsored trial of lead candidate ateganosine (THIO) in HCC patients.

According to MAIA Chairman and CEO Vlad Vitoc, the company expects to have all required approvals to begin enrolling patients in the HCC trial by the end of this year.

MAIA received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for ateganosine as a treatment for HCC in 2022, which can provide up to seven years of market exclusivity.

Dr. Pinato serves as Director of Developmental Cancer Therapeutics at Imperial College London and as a consultant oncologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. His research on liver cancer has been recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.

Dr. Fulgenzi is a medical oncology specialist at Imperial College London with expertise in immune-oncology and gastrointestinal cancers. She practices as an honorary consultant in oncology at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and as a specialty doctor in early phase clinical trials at Hammersmith Hospital.

Hepatocellular carcinoma represents approximately 90% of all liver cancers and ranks fifth globally by incidence and third by mortality.

Ateganosine is described as a first-in-class telomere-targeting agent currently being evaluated in non-small cell lung cancer. The drug is designed to induce telomerase-dependent telomeric DNA modification and selective cancer cell death.

In other recent news, MAIA Biotechnology has reported promising results from its Phase 2 clinical trial for ateganosine (THIO), targeting advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The trial, which includes a combination therapy with Regeneron’s cemiplimab, showed a median overall survival of 17.8 months among 22 patients, significantly higher than the typical 5 to 6 months observed with standard chemotherapy treatments. MAIA’s CEO, Vlad Vitoc, expressed optimism about these results, highlighting the potential for ateganosine to transform the NSCLC treatment landscape. In addition, MAIA has entered into a clinical master supply agreement with Roche to explore the combination of ateganosine with Roche’s checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab for treating various hard-to-treat cancers. Furthermore, the company has secured approximately $669,500 through a private placement, with plans to allocate funds to the THIO-101 trial and general working capital. The securities from this transaction are offered under an exemption and are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933. These developments indicate significant progress in MAIA’s efforts to advance its cancer treatment programs and explore regulatory pathways for potential accelerated FDA approval.

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