Cancer Research UK, Cytovation and the Norwegian Cancer Society collaborate to advance treatment for rare cancer

• Collaboration to take Cytovation’s synthetic peptide, CY-101, into a Phase 2 trial for patients with adrenocortical carcinoma
• Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development to run the trial at sites in UK, and others across Europe
• The Norwegian Cancer Society to provide co-funding to support the trial

/EIN News/ -- LONDON, UK, and BERGEN and OSLO, Norway, 23 January 2025 – 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.

A collaborative approach
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.”

ENDS

About Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development  
Cancer Research UK has an impressive record of developing novel treatments for cancer. The Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug Development has been pioneering the development of new cancer treatments for 30 years, taking over 160 potential new anti-cancer agents into clinical trials in patients. Six of these new agents have made it to market, including temozolomide for brain cancer, abiraterone for prostate cancer and rucaparib for ovarian cancer. Two other drugs are in late development Phase 3 trials. Thirteen agents remain in active development with the potential to reach the market. It currently has a portfolio of 16 projects in preclinical development, Phase 1 or early Phase 2 clinical trials. www.cruk.org.uk/cdd  

About Cytovation
Cytovation ASA is a clinical stage biotech company focused on the development of CY-101, a first-in-class bifunctional immunotherapy.

CY-101 has a unique dual mechanism of action, specifically eliminating cancer cells by targeting the cell membrane and releasing neo-antigens, and by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin oncogenic pathway to restrict tumour growth and reverse immune exclusion associated with β-catenin expression. Dysregulation of this pathway has been associated with several different cancer types including colon, liver, uterine, lung and ovarian cancer, among others. This dual mode of action induces a systemic, tumour-specific immune response.

For more information, please visit www.cytovation.com.

About the Norwegian Cancer Society
The Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS) is one of the largest organisations in Norway. It represents the voices of those affected by cancer. We have 128,000 members, 27,000 volunteers and 190 employees. All are dedicated to promoting cancer cause. NCS works continuously to improve society’s attitude to the prevention and treatment of cancer. We fight cancer locally, nationally and globally. Through research and preventive measures, information, support, advice and lobbying. The Norwegian Cancer Society’s purpose is to work to prevent and fight cancer. And to improve quality of life for patients and their families. Our vision is a life without cancer.

For further information about the work of NCS, please visit www.kreftforeningen.no.

Contacts
Cancer Research UK
Tim Bodicoat
Content Manager
Cancer Research UK
tim.bodicoat@cancer.org.uk

Cytovation ASA
Federico Grego
COO/CFO
Cytovation ASA
contact@cytovation.com

Frazer Hall/Mark Swallow
MEDiSTRAVA
cytovation@medistrava.com

Norwegian Cancer Society
Ola Henmo
Norwegian Cancer Society
ola.henmo@kreftforeningen.no