MAIA Biotechnology, Inc., (NYSE American: MAIA) (“MAIA”, the “Company”), a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on developing potential first-in-class oncology drugs, announced today that it will present the results of a study of the anticancer agent 6-thio-dG (THIO) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and in vivo models at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (ENA) Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. The symposium is taking place Oct. 26-28, 2022, in Barcelona, Spain.

The data to be presented outline high anticancer activity of THIO in HCC cancer cells. Notably, sequential administration of THIO followed by cemiplimab (cemi) demonstrated enhanced antitumor efficacy, including complete responses, in a syngeneic immunocompetent HCC mouse model, in comparison with either single agent used alone. Moreover, the treated tumor-free mice demonstrated a complete rejection of the same tumor type cells upon re-challenge: anticancer immune memory was confirmed.

MAIA received an Orphan Drug Designation from the US FDA for the treatment of HCC with THIO earlier in 2022. HCC currently makes up around 90% of liver cancer cases; by 2025, the global incidence of liver cancer is expected to eclipse 1 million cases.¹

Presentation details:

• Presentation title: The novel, telomerase-directed, telomere-targeted, anticancer agent 6-thio-dG (THIO) demonstrates potent activity and induces antitumor immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) models
• Abstract number: 86
• Session title: New Drugs
• Date: Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 12:00pm CEST
• Presenting author: Sergei Gryaznov, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, MAIA Biotechnology
• Location: Exhibition hall

Additional meeting information is available on ENA's website.

About THIO

THIO (6-thio-dG or 6-thio-2’-deoxyguanosine) is a telomere-targeting agent currently in clinical development to evaluate its activity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in sequential administration with cemiplimab (Libtayo®), a PD-1 inhibitor developed by Regeneron. Telomeres play a fundamental role in the survival of cancer cells and their resistance to current therapies. THIO is being developed as a second or higher line of treatment for NSCLC for patients that have progressed beyond the standard-of-care regimen of existing checkpoint inhibitors.

About MAIA Biotechnology, Inc.

MAIA is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted immunotherapies for cancer. The Company’s lead program is THIO, a potential first-in-class cancer telomere targeting agent in clinical development for the treatment of patients with telomerase-positive cancers. For more information, please visit www.maiabiotech.com.

¹ Llovet, J.M., Kelley, R.K., Villanueva, A. et al. Hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Dis Primers 7, 6 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-020-00240-3

Forward Looking Statements

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