IMUNON to Present IMNN-001 Data at Inaugural AACR Conference on Drug Discovery and Development
Translational and clinical data reinforce IMNN-001's potential to unlock IL-12's anti-tumor power in ovarian cancer within a highly safe, proprietary mechanism
First-of-its-kind meeting spotlights IMNN-001 as one of the novel technologies shaping the future of cancer drug discovery and development
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J., July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMUNON, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNN), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing DNA-mediated immunotherapies, today announced that new data on IMNN-001, the Company's DNA-based interleukin-12 (IL-12) immunotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer, will be featured in a poster presentation at the inaugural AACR Conference on Drug Discovery and Development (AACR D3), July 21-24, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
AACR D3 is a new conference from the American Association for Cancer Research designed to bring together scientists, clinicians, biopharma companies and investors around emerging technologies and novel approaches spanning the drug discovery and development continuum, rather than focusing solely on late-stage clinical results. IMUNON's presentation introduces its TheraPlas® platform technology alongside supporting translational and clinical data from its ovarian cancer program.
The standard-of-care treatment for newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer has not meaningfully changed in three decades. IMNN-001 is a proprietary novel DNA-based agent that produces therapeutic levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), a multipotent anti-tumor cytokine, directly to the tumor site. Unlike systemic administration of recombinant IL-12, which is associated with supraphysiological, transient exposure, IMUNON's approach is designed to achieve durable, physiologically relevant local IL-12 production intended to drive sustained anti-tumor immune activity. Administered weekly over a 6-month period, we believe this offers a highly favorable safety and efficacy profile and has the potential to substantially improve therapeutic outcomes.
“Being selected to present at the inaugural AACR D3 meeting is an important recognition of IMUNON's platform and our team's work in ovarian cancer,” said Stacy Lindborg, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of IMUNON. “The medical and scientific communities’ interest in our IMNN-001 program in advanced ovarian cancer has been remarkable. This visibility comes at a pivotal time as we advance our Phase 3 OVATION-3 trial, and we look forward to sharing our progress with this influential audience of drug developers and investors.”
“We are very pleased to have been invited to present our innovative and transformative drug delivery platform, our novel translational data and the strong clinical efficacy demonstrated in our ongoing trials in ovarian cancer at this global conference,” said Douglas V. Faller, M.D., Ph.D., Imunon’s chief medical officer. “The AACR D3 meeting is the first of its kind, featuring cutting-edge science, novel technologies, and emerging frameworks that promise to revolutionize how cancer therapies are discovered, developed, and delivered. Imunon’s proven ability to safely harness, for the first time, the multipotent anti-tumor activity of IL-12 for the benefit of women with advanced ovarian cancer is being showcased as an example of the future of immune-oncology, establishing a new paradigm for immunotherapy.”
Data being presented include findings from the randomized, controlled Phase 2 OVATION-2 study in advanced ovarian cancer, demonstrating that IMNN-001 is safe, achieves local delivery of IL-12, and induces anti-tumoral immune responses. The poster reports that IMNN-001 plus neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a numerical increase in median overall survival of over 13 months compared to chemotherapy alone (40.5 vs. 27.6 months), to remain consistent with the abstract submission. As recently announced, final results from the trial increased to a 14.7 month increase in medial overall survival (45.1 vs. 30.4 months).
Translational analyses further showed that IMNN-001 enhanced favorable ratios of CD8+/Tregs and CD8+/CD4+ cells in patients' tumors and tumor microenvironment, both of which have been previously reported to be associated with improved patient outcomes and are consistent with the clinical benefit observed in the trial. IMNN-001 was safe and well-tolerated, with no cytokine release syndrome or higher incidence of immune-related events observed in the experimental arm of OVATION-2.
These findings support the rapidly recruiting pivotal Phase 3 OVATION-3 trial, which is designed to confirm the safety and survival benefit of IMNN-001 in frontline advanced ovarian cancer; and if successful, will provide an immediate basis for a BLA filing and approval.
About IMNN-001 Immunotherapy
Designed using IMUNON's proprietary TheraPlas® platform technology, IMNN-001 is an IL-12 DNA plasmid encased in a nanoparticle delivery system that enables cell transfection followed by persistent, local production of the IL-12 protein. IL-12 is one of the most active cytokines for the induction of potent anticancer immunity acting through the induction of T-lymphocyte and natural killer cell proliferation. IMUNON previously reported positive safety and encouraging Phase 1 results with IMNN-001 administered as monotherapy or as combination therapy in patients with advanced peritoneally metastasized primary or recurrent ovarian cancer and completed a Phase 1b dose-escalation trial (the OVATION 1 Study) of IMNN-001 in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel neoadjuvantly in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer. IMUNON previously reported positive results from the recently completed Phase 2 OVATION 2 Study, which assessed IMNN-001 (100 mg/m2 administered intraperitoneally weekly) plus neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (N/ACT) of paclitaxel and carboplatin compared to standard-of-care N/ACT alone in 112 patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.
About IMUNON
IMUNON is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on advancing a portfolio of innovative treatments that harness the body’s natural mechanisms to generate safe, effective and durable responses across a broad array of human diseases, constituting a differentiating approach from conventional therapies. IMUNON is developing its non-viral DNA-based gene therapy technology across its modalities. The first modality, TheraPlas®, is developed for the gene-based delivery of cytokines and other therapeutic proteins in the treatment of solid tumors where an immunological approach is deemed promising.
The Company’s lead clinical program, IMNN-001, is a DNA-based immunotherapy being developed for the localized treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. IMNN-001 has been evaluated in multiple clinical trials including one Phase 2 clinical trial (OVATION 2) and is currently being studied in the ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial (OVATION 3). IMNN-001 works by instructing the body to produce safe and durable levels of powerful cancer-fighting molecules, such as interleukin-12 and interferon gamma, at the tumor site. Additionally, the Company has completed dosing in a first-in-human study of its COVID-19 booster vaccine (IMNN-101). The Company will continue to leverage these modalities and to advance, either directly or through partnership, the technological frontier of plasmid DNA to better serve patients with difficult-to-treat conditions. For more information, please visit www.imunon.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
IMUNON wishes to inform readers that forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including, but not limited to, statements regarding expectations regarding the timing and enrollment of the Company’s clinical trials, the potential of any therapies developed by the Company to fulfill unmet medical needs, the market potential for the Company’s products, if approved, the potential efficacy and safety profile of our product candidates, and the Company’s plans and expectations with respect to its development programs more generally, are forward-looking statements. We generally identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances). Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, uncertainties relating to unforeseen changes in the course of research and development activities and in clinical trials, including the fact that interim results are not necessarily indicative of final results; the uncertainties of and difficulties in analyzing interim clinical data; the significant expense, time and risk of failure in conducting clinical trials; the need for IMUNON to evaluate its future development plans; possible actions by customers, suppliers, competitors or regulatory authorities; and other risks detailed from time to time in IMUNON’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. IMUNON assumes no obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise.
Investors Contact:
Valter Pinto
KCSA Strategic Communications
212-896-1254
imunon@kcsa.com
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