IMGS-001 is a cytotoxic immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1 and PD-L2 and is designed to treat the many "immune-excluded" cancers that are resistant to existing immunotherapies
HOUSTON, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ImmunoGenesis, a clinical-stage biotech company developing innovative, science-driven immunotherapies, announced today that the company has been awarded a $10.8 million grant from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to support the continued clinical investigation of IMGS-001 in patients with solid tumors. IMGS-001, the company's lead program, is a cytotoxic immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1 and PD-L2 and is being studied in a phase 1a/b dose-escalation and dose-expansion trial (NCT06014502). The focus of this grant, the company's second from CPRIT, will be to support the phase 1b dose-expansion portion of the trial across multiple solid tumor cohorts.
The phase 1b expansion focuses on demonstrating safety and initial clinical benefit in multiple solid tumor cohorts characterized by a high degree of immune exclusion where CD8 T cells—the immune system's soldiers—are present but locked out of the tumor. IMGS-001 has been specifically engineered to drive clinical benefit in this patient population through its multifunctional mechanism of cell killing and PD-1 signal blockade.
"CPRIT has played a pivotal role in enabling ImmunoGenesis' growth. The first award of $15.5 million in 2020 allowed us to establish our Texas headquarters, complete essential nonclinical studies, obtain IND clearance, and begin the phase 1a trial of IMGS-001," said James Barlow, CEO of ImmunoGenesis. "With this second award, we can build on the early signs of clinical activity and accelerate evaluation of IMGS-001 for immune-excluded tumor cohorts with high unmet need."
The award underscores CPRIT's mission to support novel research. IMGS-001 is based on discoveries made by the laboratory of Dr. Michael A. Curran at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Oncology Research for Biologics & Immunotherapy Translation (ORBIT) platform, part of MD Anderson's Therapeutics Discovery division. Dr. Curran founded ImmunoGenesis and the technology was licensed to the company in 2019.
"ImmunoGenesis was previously awarded a CPRIT grant in 2020 to fund early development of IMGS-001," said CPRIT CEO Kristen Doyle. "The company successfully hit the goals and objectives of the original grant. Given this initial grant and the CPRIT funding provided to Dr. Curran in the early development work, CPRIT's expert review panel that recommended funding saw this as an exciting opportunity for CPRIT to continue to support a novel molecule that has shown initial promise in early clinical testing."
ImmunoGenesis is headquartered in Houston, and the CPRIT award will enable the company to continue strengthening its leadership team and corporate infrastructure within the biotech community. Mr. Barlow added, "We are thrilled to contribute to, and grow within, the dynamic biotech ecosystem in Houston and across Texas."
About ImmunoGenesis
ImmunoGenesis is a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to transforming immuno-oncology by targeting key mechanisms of immune resistance. The company's lead product, IMGS-001, is a cytotoxic immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1 and PD-L2. IMGS-001 is currently in a phase 1a/b clinical trial for the treatment of immune-excluded tumors, which account for more than half of all cancers. In addition to its lead program, the company is developing a number of novel approaches to target immune exclusion. ImmunoGenesis designs therapies to address the pathology of these tumors, overcoming the immune exclusion to elicit a robust immune response. For more information, visit immunogenesis.com.
About the IMGS-001 Phase 1a/b Clinical Trial
The IMGS-001 phase 1a/b trial (NCT06014502) is a first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation and dose‑expansion study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of IMGS-001. Phase 1a is a dose-escalation study that aims to determine the safety, tolerability, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of IMGS-001 in adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors refractory to appropriate standard-of-care treatments. Phase 1b is an open-label, dose-expansion cohort study of patients with prespecified tumors intended to further assess the safety and preliminary anti-tumor activity of IMGS-001.
About IMGS-001, Cytotoxic Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor
IMGS-001, the lead development program at ImmunoGenesis, is a cytotoxic immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1 and PD-L2. The drug is engineered to overcome immune resistance in immune-excluded tumors, as it has the potential to eliminate immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment and provide best-in-class PD-1 pathway blockade. Preclinical data showed that IMGS-001 drove superior survival rates and tumor growth inhibition in head-to-head studies compared to currently available immunotherapies. With its cytotoxic killing function and superior blockade, IMGS-001 could provide a new foundation for combination immuno-oncology therapies. This phase 1a/b study is being conducted with support from an investment from the Cancer Focus Fund, LP, and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) DP200094 and DP260244.
About the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Created by the Texas Legislature and approved by a statewide vote in 2007, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) leads the Lone Star State's fight against cancer. In 2019, Texas voters again voted overwhelmingly to support CPRIT with an additional $3 billion, for a total $6 billion investment in cancer research and prevention. To date, the agency has awarded more than $4 billion in grants to Texas research institutions and organizations through its academic research, prevention, and product development research programs. CPRIT has also recruited 344 distinguished researchers to Texas, supported the establishment, expansion, or relocation of 25 companies to Texas, and supported 11.2 million prevention services reaching all 254 counties in Texas.
Disclosure
Dr. Curran's financial relationship with ImmunoGenesis is managed and monitored by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center's Conflict of Interest Committee.
Contact
ImmunoGenesis
Investors:
James Barlow, President and CEO
[email protected]
SOURCE Immunogenesis Inc.
Share this article