Abalos Therapeutics’ ABX-001 Potential to Overcome Immunotherapy Challenges Confirmed in Cell Reports Medicine
— Preclinical findings affirm Abalos’ groundbreaking method of safely utilizing the immune-stimulating and anti-cancer capabilities of arenaviruses for solid tumor treatment —
Düsseldorf, Germany, October 14, 2025 – Abalos Therapeutics announced today the publication of preclinical proof-of-concept data for the company’s lead immunoactivating candidate, ABX-001, in Cell Reports Medicine. The findings emphasize its potential as a formidable new class of cancer treatment. Leveraging ABX-001’s ability to systemically activate both innate (immediate) and adaptive (memory) immune responses through a single administration, Abalos aims to elevate immune system engagement and tackle current limitations in immunotherapy.
The article, titled “Optimized arenavirus design with tumor-tropic mutations promote safety and anti-tumor efficacy via sustainable immune modulatory properties,” offers a thorough account of ABX-001’s development and assessment. ABX-001 is the inaugural drug candidate to utilize Abalos’ proprietary AdaptInnate strategy. Abalos formulated ABX-001 as a therapeutic by refining a non-lytic arenavirus strain, incorporating specific mutations to achieve immune-stimulating and anti-cancer attributes, such as strong tumor-tropism and minimal replication in healthy cells. Significantly, ABX-001’s mechanism involves continuous and sustained replication within both cancerous and antigen-presenting cells without causing their destruction. This leads to outstanding effector T-cell induction and effectively directs immune cells towards the tumor. This innovative, non-oncolytic method for systemic application is engineered to elicit precise, potent, and lasting anti-cancer activity against primary tumors and metastatic cells that have spread to other bodily regions.
“The article in Cell Reports Medicine highlights the promise of our innovative anti-cancer strategy as a viable option for patients encountering the constraints of existing immunotherapies,” stated Jörg Vollmer, CSO at Abalos. “By safely involving all significant lymphatic organs in a synchronized, systemic assault on tumors, our goal is to surmount critical obstacles such as cancer cell immune evasion, insufficient T cell activation, and tumor diversity. The strong safety record and powerful anti-cancer effects observed across various clinically relevant solid tumor models establish a firm basis for ABX-001’s clinical advancement, with the first-in-human trial anticipated to commence shortly.”
Across diverse murine solid tumor models, ABX-001 displayed significant anti-tumor effectiveness by prompting the proliferation of tumor-specific T cells and immune-stimulating cytokines, including IFN-γ. Notably, mice that achieved complete tumor remission following systemic ABX-001 administration were safeguarded against subsequent tumor cell re-challenge, indicating enduring anti-tumor immunity. The candidate presented a positive safety profile, characterized by minimal viral replication in healthy tissues and an absence of severe disease symptoms in arenavirus-prone mice. These findings were corroborated in non-human primates highly susceptible to wildtype arenaviruses. In these primates, ABX-001 treatment resulted in markedly elevated levels of immunostimulatory cytokines and chemokines, alongside a substantial increase in monocytes, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio declined after ABX-001 application, signifying the robust priming of cytotoxic T cells induced by the candidate. Despite this potent immune activation, no adverse effects were noted at any dosage or timepoint, thus demonstrating an exceptionally favorable safety profile.
Information regarding ABX-001’s development and its proven proprietary anti-cancer effectiveness across various in vitro and in vivo models is scheduled for presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025.
Presentation Information:
Poster presentation
Abstract Title: Optimized arenavirus design with tumor-tropic mutations accelerates anti-tumor efficacy of lymphocytic choriomeningitis sustainable immune modulatory properties
Date: Monday, October 20, 2025
Presenter: Prof. Karl S Lang, PhD, Chair of Immunology at the Medical Faculty, University Duisburg-Essen and Scientific Founder of Abalos
Location: Poster Session 2, Hall 25, Messe Berlin, Germany
Poster Number: #342
In light of the promising preclinical proof-of-concept findings, Abalos is progressing ABX-001 into a Phase 1 first-in-human, basket-style clinical trial at various locations across Europe.
About Abalos Therapeutics
Abalos Therapeutics is at the forefront of an innovative anti-cancer strategy that channels the complete force of the immune system specifically against cancer cells. Abalos’ drug candidates, based on arenaviruses, are engineered to initiate targeted innate and adaptive immune responses from within the tumor, mobilizing all pertinent immune cell types in a coordinated assault on both primary tumors and remote metastases. The company’s primary product candidate, ABX-001, has shown robust anti-tumor effectiveness in preclinical studies across numerous tumor models, alongside an excellent preclinical safety profile, and is set to commence clinical trials in 2025. Under the leadership of seasoned biotech entrepreneurs and immunology pioneers, Abalos aims to define a new class of drugs in immuno-oncology. For further details, please visit .
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