SPRING, Texas, July 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Io Therapeutics, Inc.,
presented today results from studies done in breast, lung, colorectal, and
prostate cancer models with the company's newest anti-cancer compound IRX5010,
an agonist of retinoic acid nuclear receptor gamma which was discovered in the
company's oncology drug program. The presentation titled "RAR Gamma Agonist
Compounds Promote Effector Memory Tumor Infiltrating T-cells and are Effective
in Multiple Cancer Models", which was delivered at the Federation of American
Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Seventh International Conference on
Retinoids, being held in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; was authored by Vidyasagar
Vuligonda, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer of the company and inventor of the
compound; and Martin E. Sanders, M.D., the company's Chief Executive Officer.
The presented studies showed that oral treatment with IRX5010 resulted in
suppression of growth in mouse models of each of five types of the most
prevalent and deadly cancers in humans, i.e. triple negative breast, Her-2
positive breast, non-small cell lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers. In all
five models, treatment with IRX5010 induced tumor infiltrating effector memory
phenotype T-lymphocytes associated with reduction in tumor growth. Treatment
with IRX5010 did not directly impact growth of cancers cells in tissue cultures,
indicating that the compound is not significantly directly toxic to cancer
cells. The data support that the compound's mechanism of anti-tumor activity is
induction of cancer suppressive tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes, so called
TILs, rather than direct toxic effects on the cancer cells. Orally administered
drugs which induce TILs as a mechanism of action for treatment of cancers are
being widely sought in the pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Vuligonda stated, "These results disclose a new approach to potentially
improving treatment of multiple types of serious cancers in humans using IRX5010
as monotherapy, or potentially in combination with other agents such as biologic
checkpoint inhibitors, which also induce anti-cancer TIL responses. We are
currently conducting preclinical combination studies of IRX5010 with other
agents. We anticipate advancing IRX5010 as monotherapy, and as combination
therapy other already available treatments, into clinical trials in multiple
types of cancers." Dr. Sanders stated, "IRX5010 has potential to be a new
effective oral immunotherapeutic treatment for many types of currently
inadequately treated human cancers, including the most common types of mortal
cancers. In addition to IRX5010, Io Therapeutics has discovered multiple
families of compounds targeting other retinoic acid nuclear receptors, which the
company is developing as potential treatments for cancers, neurodegenerative,
and autoimmune diseases."

About Io Therapeutics:   Io Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately held company
headquartered in Spring, Texas.   More information on Io Therapeutics and its

product development programs is available on the company's web site: www.io-
therapeutics.com (https://io-therapeutics.com/)
Forward Looking Statements: This new release contains "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Contact:
info@io-therapeutics.com
Â