Pembrolizumab

Next-generation therapeutic cancer vaccines in development for various oncology indications sold to NeoTrail TherapeuticsNEW YORK and VIENNA, March 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (OTCID: HOOK, “HOOKIPA”, the “Company”) today announced the completion of the sale of its immuno-oncology related assets, consisting primarily of the HB-200 (eseba-vec) and HB-700 development programs, to NeoTrail Therapeutics, Inc. (“NeoTrail”). The purchase price remains undisclosed. The asset purchase agreement was signed on January 28, 2026, and the closing of the transaction occurred on March 20, 2026. About HB-200 Eseba-vec (also known as HB-200) is an investigational immunotherapeutic agent being evaluated for HPV16 positive cancers. HB-200 alternates the administration of both HB-201 (LCMV) and HB-202 (PICV), collectively referred to as “HB-200,” attenuated viral vectors, which on their own are replicating-based therapeutics expressing a non-oncogenic, but highly immunogenic, E7E6 fusion protein from HPV16. Positive preliminary data from a Phase 2 trial (NCT04180215) of HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16 positive head and neck cancers in the first line setting was presented in November 2024 at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Conference. Trial close out activities were completed before the end of 2025. HB-200 received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and PRIME designation from the European Medicines Agency. HB-200 was developed using HOOKIPA’s proprietary arenavirus platform. About HB-700HB-700 is an investigational arenaviral immunotherapy designed to treat KRAS-mutated lung, colorectal, pancreatic and other cancers. HB-700 is a replicating 2-vector therapy that targets the most prevalent KRAS mutations (G12D, G12V, G12R, G12C and G13D) and has the potential to benefit more patients than single mutation inhibitors. HB-700 received Investigational New Drug application clearance from the Food and Drug Administration in April 2024 and is Phase 1 ready, with clinical trial material manufacturing completed. Availability of Other Information About HOOKIPAInvestors and others should note that HOOKIPA announces material financial information to investors using the Company’s investor relations website, www.ir.hookipapharma.com, OTC Markets filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. HOOKIPA uses these channels, as well as social media, to communicate with investors and the public about the company, and other issues. It is possible that the information HOOKIPA posts on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, investors, the media, and others interested in HOOKIPA are encouraged to review the information on the social media channels listed on the Company’s investor relations website. For further information, please contact: IR@hookipapharma.com

The US FDA issued an approval for Corcept Therapeutics’ Lifyorli (relacorilant) in combination with nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of adults with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. The indication covers patients who have received one to three prior systemic treatment regimens, at least one of which included bevacizumab. Relacorilant becomes the first selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist to receive FDA approval and the first cortisol-modulating agent approved for use in oncology. The approval is the company’s second, following Korlym (mifepristone) for Cushing’s syndrome in 2012. No biomarker selection is required for Lifyorli, distinguishing it from other recently approved agents in this setting. Lifyorli is an oral therapy given the day before, the day of, and the day after each nab-paclitaxel infusion. Its approval was based on the Phase III ROSELLA trial, which enrolled 381 patients and randomized them 1:1 to receive relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel alone. The study met its dual primary endpoints of overall survival and progression-free survival. The combination reduced the risk of death by 35% (hazard ratio 0.65; p=0.0004), with median overall survival of 16.0 months versus 11.9 months for chemotherapy alone, and reduced the risk of disease progression by 30% (hazard ratio 0.70; p=0.008). Safety was evaluated using pooled data from ROSELLA and an earlier Phase II study. The most common adverse events (≥20%) included anemia, neutropenia, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, rash, and decreased appetite. Serious adverse events occurred in 35% of patients, with fatal events reported in 2.1%. The ROSELLA data were first presented at ASCO Annual Meeting 2025 and simultaneously published in The Lancet, according to the company. The approval of Lifyorli for ovarian cancer arrives in a setting where treatment options have historically been limited and outcomes remain poor. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in women, and patients whose disease recurs within six months of platinum-based therapy face a median overall survival that has, until recently, rarely exceeded 12 months with standard chemotherapy. Approximately 20,000 women with platinum-resistant disease are candidates to start a new therapy each year in the United States, with the company estimating at least an equal number in Europe. Relacorilant’s mechanism, blocking the glucocorticoid receptor to counteract cortisol-mediated suppression of chemotherapy-induced apoptosis, represents a mechanistic approach distinct from other approved therapies. The selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist does not interact with other steroid receptors, which differentiates it pharmacologically from mifepristone. Corcept is also developing relacorilant in endometrial, cervical, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, and has submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application to the European Medicines Agency for the platinum-resistant ovarian cancer indication. Relacorilant has been designated an orphan drug by the European Commission for ovarian cancer treatment. The competitive landscape facing Lifyorli includes mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere), an FRα-directed antibody-drug conjugate approved for biomarker-selected patients, and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), approved in February 2026 in combination with paclitaxel for PD-L1-positive disease. Unlike both of those agents, Lifyorli does not require companion diagnostic testing, potentially broadening its eligible patient population. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website