Hillstream BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: HILS) reported its shares ballooned at Friday’s open, as the company, a biotech developing therapeutic candidates targeting drug resistant and devastating cancers using ferroptosis, an emerging new anti-cancer mechanism resulting in iron mediated cell death, and immuno-oncology targeted novel biologics, unveiled initial results evaluating the synergy of HSB-1216 with immune checkpoint inhibitors in KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, Calu-1, with Pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody. The study demonstrated significantly greater tumor inhibition of Calu-1 cells, when grown with human PBMCs (SEB-activated) and treated with HSB-1216 and Pembrolizumab.
Said CEO Randy Milby,“We are greatly encouraged by the initial results showing crosstalk and synergy between an established and validated immuno-oncology pathway, anti-PD-1, and Ferroptosis, a new emerging iron-dependent cell death pathway and mechanism of action for HSB-1216.”
Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide with NSCLC accounting for approximately 80–85% of all cases. Despite significant progress and the development of anti-PD-1/PDL-1 therapeutics, the estimated five-years overall survival (OS) remains low. anti-PD-1/PDL-1 therapeutics have substantially improved overall survival with an acceptable safety profile in NSCLC patients, however, not all patients respond. Several combination strategies are under evaluation, including evaluation of chemotherapy, targeted therapies and other modalities in combination with immunotherapy.
HILS skyrocketed $1.01, or 85.6%, to $2.19.
