• N17350 is a tumor-directed therapeutic elastase designed to selectively kill cancer cells, while preserving immune cells, and to stimulate anti-tumor immunity
• First-in-human study will evaluate safety, dose, anti-tumor activity, and biomarkers of immune activation

Onchilles Pharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering next-generation cytotoxic therapeutics that harness the ELANE pathway, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating N17350 in patients with advanced solid tumors. N17350, Onchilles’ lead tumor-directed therapeutic candidate, is designed to selectively kill cancer cells, while preserving immune cells, and to stimulate systemic anti-tumor immunity.

“Dosing the first patient with N17350 marks a major step forward for Onchilles as we move from years of translational research into clinical evaluation,” said Court R. Turner, J.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Onchilles Pharma. “N17350 was developed to address a central challenge in cancer treatment: how to directly kill tumor cells while preserving and activating the immune system. This Phase 1/2 study gives us the opportunity to evaluate whether the broad, selective, immune-activating activity we have observed preclinically can translate into benefit for patients with advanced solid tumors.”

N17350 is designed to leverage the ELANE pathway, a cancer-selective mechanism that induces immunogenic cancer cell death while sparing healthy tissue, including immune cells. In preclinical studies, N17350 demonstrated broad tumor-killing activity, immune cell preservation, and activation of anti-tumor immunity across multiple solid tumor models. The open-label, dose-finding and expansion study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, recommended dose, anti-tumor activity, and biomarker effects of intratumorally administered N17350 in patients with advanced solid tumors.

“Patients with advanced solid tumors need new therapeutic approaches that can produce direct anti-tumor activity while potentiating, rather than compromising, anti-tumor immunity,” said Matteo Carlino, M.D., PhD, investigator in the Phase 1/2 study, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia. “N17350 is based on a novel biological rationale, and this first-in-human study is an important step in evaluating its safety, dose, activity, and immune effects in patients.”

The Phase 1/2 study will initially evaluate N17350 in patients with advanced solid tumors accessible for intratumoral administration, with planned assessments of safety, dose escalation, anti-tumor activity, and translational biomarkers. Onchilles expects the study to support clinical evaluation of N17350 as both a monotherapy and, over time, as part of rational combination strategies with immunotherapy.

About Onchilles Therapeutic Programs Targeting the ELANE Pathway

At the core of this approach is the ELANE pathway, a unique cancer-selective killing mechanism that leverages altered histone H1 biology, a vulnerability shared by many cancer cell types. Our pipeline is led by N17350, our first-in-class, clinical-stage program, followed by NEU-002, the second program that extends this approach with systemic delivery. By targeting the ELANE pathway and inducing immunogenic cancer cell death, N17350 and NEU-002 are designed to rapidly eliminate tumors while mobilizing an adaptive immune response, offering the potential for sustained anti-tumor immunity. N17350 and NEU-002 offer a unique approach to treating cancer regardless of their genetic makeup, anatomical origin, or immune status, positioning them as potential gamechangers in cancer therapy.

About Onchilles Pharma

Onchilles Pharma is a global drug discovery and development company pioneering first-in-class cytotoxic therapies designed to selectively kill cancer cells while preserving and activating immune function. By harnessing the ELANE pathway, these next-generation therapeutics are designed to deliver potent and selective tumor cell destruction, overcoming the limitations of traditional chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The company’s pipeline includes N17350, a tumor-directed lead candidate in first-in-human studies (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07339176), and the NEU-002 program for systemic delivery, extends the reach of N17350 to address all solid tumors. For more information, visit www.onchillespharma.com.

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"This Phase 1/2 study gives us the opportunity to evaluate whether the broad, selective, immune-activating activity we have observed preclinically can translate into benefit for patients with advanced solid tumors,” said Court R. Turner, J.D.