Collaborations and Partnerships

Medicenna is collaborating with Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) to evaluate MDNA11, our long-acting IL-2 Superkine, in combination with pembrolizumab in the ABILITY-1 Phase 1/2 clinical study. Under the terms of the clinical trial supply and collaboration agreement, Medicenna is the sponsor and Merck supplies pembrolizumab.

This collaboration explores the potential for MDNA11 to enhance anti-tumor immune responses by expanding and activating cancer fighting immune cells, while pembrolizumab relieves PD-1–mediated immune cell exhaustion.

The collaboration reflects growing interest in combining next-generation cytokines with other anti-cancer therapies to improve outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

Medicenna is collaborating with Fondazione Melanoma Onlus, a leading Italian melanoma research organization, to evaluate MDNA11 in a neoadjuvant melanoma clinical study.

This investigator-sponsored study is designed to explore the ability of MDNA11 to stimulate anti-tumor immunity in earlier-stage disease, where immune activation prior to surgery may improve long-term outcomes. Under the collaboration agreement, Fondazione Melanoma is the sponsor and Medicenna is supplying the study medication.

The collaboration highlights the versatility of the Superkine platform across multiple treatment settings and supports Medicenna's strategy to expand MDNA11 into earlier lines of therapy and tumor types.

Medicenna is proud to be a recipient of funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). This support has been instrumental in advancing our MDNA55 and bizaxofusp programs, enabling us to accelerate our research and development efforts.

CPRIT's investment in Medicenna reflects their commitment to supporting innovative cancer research and bringing cutting-edge therapies to patients. This partnership has been crucial in helping us move our programs forward and bring hope to those affected by cancer.