Press release: invIOs and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute start collaboration to study novel small molecule INV501 for treatment of glioblastoma

• Preclinical study will be conducted by Dr. David Reardon’s research group
• Immune-activating small molecule INV501 will be tested as treatment for aggressive brain cancer

Vienna, Austria and Boston, MA USA, 9 November 2023: invIOs GmbH (“invIOs”), a privately held biotechnology company developing novel therapies for cancer, and Dana- Farber Cancer Institute have entered into a preclinical research collaboration to evaluate invIOs’ small molecule INV501 as a potential treatment for glioblastoma.

The collaboration will be led by David Reardon, MD, Clinical Director, Center for Neuro- Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Reardon is a world-renowned expert in brain cancer, particularly glioblastoma research and treatment. The research group will evaluate INV501 alone and in combination with the current standard of care (temozolomide or radiation) or anti- myeloid therapies in preclinical glioblastoma models. Depending on the outcome, further studies to understand the mechanisms of action of INV501 will be conducted.

David Reardon, MD, Clinical Director, Center for Neuro-Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said: “While we have seen many significant advances in other cancers, the pressing medical need for new and effective treatments for glioblastoma cannot be overstated. Glioblastoma continues to be a devastating diagnosis for patients and presents a major challenge to treat. After seeing the initial promising preclinical data on INV501 in solid tumors presented by invIOs, we are excited to test this small molecule that crosses the blood-brain barrier in glioblastoma models. We hope to overcome the protective mechanisms that these aggressive tumors develop to shield themselves from the immune system and ultimately be able to offer patients new treatment options.”

Romana Gugenberger, PhD, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of invIOs, added: “The collaboration with Dr. David Reardon and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an important step forward in our endeavor to develop effective and meaningful therapies for solid tumors that harness the power of the patient’s immune system. Our research supports that INV501 holds great promise as an immunomodulating agent, and, with the combined expertise of our teams, we are poised to validate our early findings and accelerate INV501’s further development towards the clinic and a potential breakthrough in glioblastoma therapy.”

INV501 was identified as part of a phenotypic screen for compounds that can activate T cells. Members of the compound hit series can induce elevated levels of T cell activation markers as well as enhanced secretion of cytokines, which supports tumor-specific killing. Data previously presented at the 2023 Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) show that INV501 can selectively enhance tumor-reactive cytotoxicity in preclinical in vivo model systems, resulting in prolonged survival even beyond the end of treatment. Members of the INV501 compound family are orally available showing favorable bioavailability for potent immune therapy. Among these, some compounds can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the glioblastoma micro- environment to initiate anti-tumoral immune reactions.