Ironfist Therapeutics’ 177Lu-Tamrada™ Doubles Survival with Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Checkpoint-Resistant Pancreatic Cancer Model

Tamrada Theranostic Pair, ⁶⁴Cu PET Imaging Agent and ¹⁷⁷Lu Therapeutic Agent, Progressing to Clinical Trials

⁶⁴Cu-Tamrada Dosimetry Demonstrates 240-Fold Safety Factor for Planned First-in-Human Study

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ironfist Therapeutics (“Ironfist”), a preclinical-stage company developing a nanomedicine radiopharmaceutical (Tamrada) that selectively targets tumor-associated macrophages without a targeting ligand, will present positive preclinical proof-of-concept results for ¹⁷⁷Lu-Tamrada at the 39^th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM’26), taking place October 17–21, 2026, in Vienna, Austria. In an orthotopic syngeneic model of pancreatic cancer resistant to anti-PD-1 therapy, ¹⁷⁷Lu-Tamrada in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy more than doubled survival compared to anti-PD-1 therapy alone.

“These preclinical results continue to support our strategy of treating the immune-suppressing microenvironment in cancers,” said Jeffrey L. Cleland, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Ironfist Therapeutics. “In Q1 2027, we plan to begin clinical studies with ⁶⁴Cu-Tamrada PET imaging, followed by ¹⁷⁷Lu-Tamrada treatment in patients whose tumors show Tamrada uptake on PET.”

Oral Presentation Details:
Targeted Killing of Tumor Associated Macrophages with a Novel [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-Nanomedicine Prolongs Survival and Unlocks Checkpoint Inhibition in an Orthotopic Pancreatic Cancer Model
Oral presentation OP-482 | Session 1104: M2M Track - TROP Session - Translational Molecular Imaging & Therapy Committee: Advances in Combination Therapies
Monday, October 19, 2026, 5:35 PM | Hall E2

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a difficult-to-treat cancer resistant to checkpoint inhibition and generally considered protected from the immune system. Long-term survival is limited with current treatments. The pancreatic cancer results are consistent with previous positive single-agent results, including tumor inhibition in xenograft and orthotopic 4T1 triple-negative breast cancer models and in PSMA-negative prostate cancer models.

“By killing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and suppressor cells, ¹⁷⁷Lu-Tamrada exposes the tumor to the immune system to halt tumor growth and promote survival,” said S. Sakura Minami, PhD, Vice President of Translational Medicine and Nonclinical Development. “The cytotoxic effects are confined to the tumor, as shown by localized double-strand DNA breaks, leaving other organs and healthy tissue intact. And unlike other radiopharmaceutical approaches, Tamrada is tumor agnostic because it directly targets the TAMs that protect the tumor from the immune system, stimulate angiogenesis, and generate metastases.”

e-Poster Details:
Radiation Dosimetry, Chemistry and Formulation of a Novel [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-Nanomedicine Radiotracer that Selectively Targets Tumor Associated Macrophages
e-Poster Number: EP-0072
Session: EP-05, During Congress, October 17–21, 2026
Session Title: A: Preclinical and Translational Studies › A1 Medical Preclinical › A15a Preclinical Dosimetry

The e-Poster reports that dosimetry for the imaging agent ⁶⁴Cu-Tamrada identified red marrow as the dose-limiting organ, with a 240-fold safety factor above the highest proposed human dose of 200 MBq.

“Radiopharmaceuticals have drawn significant interest from large pharma, and Tamrada offers something different: a target-independent way to reach the tumor microenvironment across many cancer types,” said Mukul Agarwal, Chief Business Officer of Ironfist Therapeutics. “With clinical studies starting in 2027 and a platform that can carry other isotopes, we look forward to meeting potential partners.” To schedule a meeting at EANM’26 or the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in January ’27, contact [e-mail].

About Tamrada

Tamrada is designed from the novel nanomedicine technology of hydroxyl dendrimers invented at Johns Hopkins University. The nanomedicine component of Tamrada is comparable in size to an antibody fragment, does not leave the vasculature except in tumors, and has renal and biliary clearance without metabolism. ¹⁷⁷Lu-Tamrada provides an additional benefit of a bystander effect by killing adjacent tumor cells. The nanomedicine in Tamrada is amenable to modifications to create a pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals with different radioisotopes beyond lutetium-177, such as actinium-225 or other alpha emitters.

About Ironfist Therapeutics

Ironfist Therapeutics is advancing a new class of nanomedicine radiopharmaceuticals that selectively target tumor-associated macrophages. Ironfist’s precision medicine approach to treat any tumor with TAMs has the potential to change the paradigm in cancer treatment by unlocking the immune system. Ironfist is a sister company of Programmable Medicine, leveraging the same hydroxyl dendrimer platform to develop radiopharmaceuticals for oncology. For more information visit: www.ironfisttx.com