Presentation

Mendus is a Swedish company that leverages its expertise in allogeneic dendritic cell biology to develop novel, off-the-shelf, cell-based immunotherapies for cancer indications. The company has two products in three clinical programmes: DCP-001 for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and ovarian cancer, and Ilixadencel for gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST).

Recent highlights
In Q1, Mendus started moving to its new R&D facilities in The Netherlands, incorporating process development and manufacturing capabilities for cell-based immune therapies. In April, Mendus published Ph2 results of Ilixadencel combined with sunitinib in kidney cancer, which failed its primary endpoint of 18-months survival rate but showed safety and a positive trend for improved tumour response rate and overall survival. In May, Mendus announced preclinical data showing synergy of DP-001 with standard AML treatments (5-AZA and venetoclax), which broadens the use of DCP-001 beyond AML maintenance setting. Subsequently, Mendus announced positive interim results of the ongoing Ph2 trial in AML maintenance treatment, which showed that 7 patients had a measurable residual disease (MRD), of which 5 patients converted from MRD+ to MRD- and 2 patients had an at least 10-fold reduction in MRD. In June, Mendus received FDA orphan drug designation for Ilixadencel in GIST.

Outlook
Mendus will focus on the clinical development of three programmes: the continuation and further clinical data updates on Ph2 DCP-001 trial in AML maintenance setting, the continuation of the Ph1 DP-001 study in ovarian cancer, with a first clinical read-out in H2, and the preparation of Ph2 Ilixadencel trial in GIST.