Cancer Research UK, Cytovation and the Norwegian Cancer Society have signed an agreement to bring Cytovation’s lead asset, CY-101, into a multi-national Phase 2 clinical trial for patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC).
This rare and aggressive cancer, which affects the adrenal glands, has limited treatment options and an urgent need for new therapies.
CY-101, developed by Cytovation, is a synthetic peptide with a dual function. It selectively targets and destroys cancer cells, triggering a systemic immune response, while simultaneously inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway, a key driver of immunotherapy resistance in cancers such as ACC.
CY-101’s development builds on compelling data from Cytovation’s Phase 1 CICILIA trial, which demonstrated encouraging outcomes in patients with solid tumours. Notably, two ACC patients had clear clinical benefit, with one achieving 18 months of progression-free survival and continuing treatment on a named-patient basis. These results highlight CY-101’s potential to address the specific mechanisms of ACC.
Under the agreement, Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development (CDD) will sponsor, design and deliver the Phase 2 trial and Cytovation will be responsible for providing CY-101 for the clinical trial. Cancer Research Horizons, Cancer Research UK’s innovation arm, will manage the commercial relationship between the three parties.
The Norwegian Cancer Society’s support provides access to the additional resources, patients and sites required for trials in rare diseases. Due to the rarity of ACC, the clinical trial will run across multiple sites in the UK and Europe, to ensure robust patient recruitment.
Lars Erwig, Director of the Centre for Drug Development, Cancer Research UK, said: “This collaboration represents a critical step toward addressing the needs of ACC patients who currently have very few treatment options. Cytovation has made impressive progress with CY-101 so far and we are excited to build on our existing partnership with the Norwegian Cancer Society to take its development further.”
Lars Prestegarden, CEO, Cytovation, said: “We are very excited about this partnership, proud to follow in the footsteps of groundbreaking agents that Cancer Research UK has contributed to developing, and honoured by the Norwegian Cancer Society’s support. We believe CY-101 has the potential to be transformational for the treatment of ACC and other cancer types and are eager to bring this innovation to patients.”
Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, CEO of the Norwegian Cancer Society, said: “The partnership with Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development marks a milestone for the Norwegian Cancer Society, enabling us to advance the development of groundbreaking cancer treatments. We are thrilled that our first joint project is a Norwegian innovation, focused on patients with a rare cancer and a substantial unmet need. Together with Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development and Cytovation, we are bringing new hope to patients while highlighting Norwegian research on the international stage.”
