STCube Presents Nelmastobart Combination Therapy Results at AACR, Suggesting First-Line Treatment Potential for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

STCube announced on April 22 that it has released the preclinical research results for its BTN1A1-targeted immune checkpoint inhibitor, Nelmastobart, in non-small cell lung cancer at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting (AACR 2026). This presentation revealed that when Nelmastobart is combined with standard chemotherapy cisplatin, it further enhances the immune-based anti-tumor effect.

The study was conducted under the theme, "BTN1A1 Blockade by Nelmastobart Enhances Cisplatin-Induced Tumor Suppression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer." The experiments utilized a 3D tumor spheroid model based on the A549 non-small cell lung cancer cell line and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This model closely mimics the actual tumor microenvironment and is used to evaluate interactions between immune cells and tumor cells.

According to the analysis, Nelmastobart induced immune-mediated anti-tumor activity even as a monotherapy, and its effects became more pronounced when used in combination with cisplatin. In particular, the tumor-suppressive response induced by immune cells was further enhanced, resulting in a clearer reduction in tumors. These findings suggest that this therapy has the potential to expand its application from a second-line to a first-line treatment strategy.

Meaningful results were also achieved in terms of safety. In a developmental toxicity assessment using a zebrafish model, no additional clinically relevant toxicity signals were observed, providing evidence to support the potential for combination therapy of Nelmastobart with standard chemotherapy.

Seunghan Yoo, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at STCube, stated, "We have confirmed that BTN1A1 blockade can alleviate immunosuppressive signals within the tumor microenvironment and enhance the immune recognition of tumors during chemotherapy. Alongside the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with docetaxel, we are continuously investigating combination mechanisms with various chemotherapies and expanding the scope of application."

Nelmastobart is an antibody therapy that induces immune cell activation by blocking BTN1A1 and works to restore suppressed immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. At AACR, STCube also presented additional results of multi-biomarker analysis using tissue samples from colorectal cancer patients, in addition to the preclinical research on non-small cell lung cancer.

Meanwhile, the company is preparing to announce interim results from the Phase 2 clinical trial of Nelmastobart later this year. Currently, Phase 2 clinical trials are underway in patients with high BTN1A1 expression, targeting both colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, and related data will be released sequentially through major conferences such as ASCO, WCLC, and ESMO.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.