Mar 18, 2026

New preclinical data on anti-tumor effects of nadunolimab in metastatic colorectal cancer presented at the Keystone Cancer Immunotherapy conference

Cantargia (Cantargia AB; Nasdaq Stockholm: CANTA) today reported the presentation of new pre-clinical data highlighting how a murine surrogate antibody to nadunolimab, an anti-IL1RAP antibody currently in clinical development, may inhibit immunosuppression in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), an effect especially pronounced in combination with an immune-checkpoint inhibitor. The data were generated by Dr Merad’s research group at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and was presented at the Keystone Conference on Cancer Immunotherapy: Basic Mechanism Informing Clinical Applications & Combinations. A clinical trial investigating nadunolimab in combination with immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with metastatic microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC is currently ongoing at Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center.

“These very exciting data by Dr Merad’s group show how IL1RAP can be targeted to disrupt tumor-promoting and treatment-resisting networks in the tumor microenvironment, thereby opening up for new treatment opportunities that engage the immune system” said David Liberg , CSO of Cantargia.

CRC is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. MSS CRC accounts for over 90% of metastatic CRC cases and is one of the most challenging solid tumors to treat with immune-checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1 pathway, most likely due to alternative immunosuppressive mechanisms.

The new preclinical results further indicate that IL1RAP dependent signaling is part of an immunosuppressive axis within both the primary tumor and metastatic sites. This involves tumor cells, fibroblasts and myeloid cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Treatment with a nadunolimab surrogate antibody counteracted the immunosuppressive TME and expanded the cytotoxic T cell compartment, thereby opening for immunotherapy combinations. Combining the nadunolimab surrogate antibody with anti-PD-1 immune-checkpoint inhibitors showed a synergistic effect by reducing tumor burden in a CRC model that is otherwise unresponsive to immunotherapy. Disruption of this immune suppressive axis presents a unique opportunity to overcome resistance to immunotherapy, which has the potential to transform outcomes for metastatic MSS CRC patients.

The results was shared in an oral presentation by Dr. Jesse Boumelha from Icahn School of Medicine at the Keystone conference Cancer Immunotherapy: Basic Mechanism Informing Clinical Applications & combinations in Québec Canada on March 17^th.

About Cantargia
Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases and has established a platform based on the protein IL1RAP, involved in a number of cancer forms and inflammatory diseases. Cantargia’s oncology program, the antibody nadunolimab (CAN04), is being studied clinically, primarily in combination with chemotherapy with a focus on pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Positive data for the combinations indicate stronger efficacy than would be expected from chemotherapy alone. Cantargia’s second development program, the antibody CAN10, blocks signaling via IL1RAP in a different manner than nadunolimab and addresses treatment of serious autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. In September 2025, the acquisition of CAN10 by Otsuka Pharmaceutical was completed.

Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at www.cantargia.com.

About nadunolimab (CAN04)
Nadunolimab is an antibody that binds strongly to its target IL1RAP and functions by inducing ADCC and blocking IL-1α and IL-1β signaling. Nadunolimab can thereby counteract the IL-1 system which contributes to the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment and the development of resistance to chemotherapy. Nadunolimab has been investigated in multiple clinical trials; the phase I/IIa trial CANFOUR, NCT03267316, evaluated nadunolimab in combination with standard chemotherapies in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel) or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (platinum-based chemotherapies). Positive data show durable responses for combination therapy in 73 PDAC patients, resulting in a median iPFS of 7.2 months and median OS of 13.2 months. An even higher median OS of 14.2 months was observed in a subgroup of patients with high tumor levels of IL1RAP. Intriguing efficacy was observed in a small group of non-squamous NSCLC patients post PD(L)-1 therapy.