Benzinga | Oct 7, 2021 09:19AM EDT

Phio Pharmaceuticals Presents New BRD4 Data At AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ:PHIO), a biotechnology company developing the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its proprietary self-delivering RNAi (INTASYL(tm)) therapeutic platform, today presented new data with PH-894, Phio's self-delivering RNAi compound targeting the bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. The data presented add to the growing body of evidence that BRD4 not only plays a role in tumor cells, but can also regulate T cell function and that PH-894 can reprogram T cells to provide enhanced immunotherapeutic activity.

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"The data we presented today at the AACR-NCI-EORTC meeting demonstrates silencing BRD4 with our INTASYL compound PH-894 has a significant impact on T cell function and phenotype promoting T cell activation and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment," said Simon Fricker, Phio's Vice President of R&D. "Our new data shows how BRD4 can regulate immune cells activity and therefore BRD4 silencing with PH-894 could become an important approach to treat cancer."

In this study conducted in collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, it was shown that PH-894 resulted in a strong, concentration dependent and durable silencing of BRD4 in T cells, which in an in vivo study translated to pronounced and dose associated inhibition of tumor growth. These data demonstrate that Phio's PH-894 INTASYL compound can reprogram T cells to provide enhanced immunotherapeutic activity.

"We are very excited by these data, which suggest that PH-894's potency is not solely a consequence of its direct effect on tumor cells, but also its ability to reprogram and activate T cells to further boost the anti-cancer effect. As such, we are working hard on IND-enabling studies to bring this promising compound to the clinic," continued Dr. Fricker.

Phio's presentation detailing the data presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics titled, "Targeting BRD4 in T cells with self-delivering RNAi PH-894 for immunotherapy" will be made available on the "Investors -- Events and Presentations" section of the Company's website (click here).