Genprex Gene Therapy Shows Dual-Action Attack on Lung Cancer

AUSTIN, TX – March 18, 2026 – In the relentless battle against lung cancer, a novel gene therapy is showing remarkable promise on multiple fronts. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company, today announced that its collaborators will present compelling preclinical data for its lead drug candidate, Reqorsa® Gene Therapy. The findings, set to be unveiled at the prestigious 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, suggest the therapy can directly kill cancer cells, overcome drug resistance, and uniquely energize the body's own immune system to join the fight.

The data comes from three separate studies that explore the multifaceted potential of Reqorsa®, which works by delivering a crucial tumor suppressor gene called TUSC2 directly to cancer cells. These early but significant results are providing a clearer picture of how the therapy could one day reshape treatment for some of the most challenging forms of lung cancer.

A New Blueprint for Patient Selection

One of the greatest hurdles in modern cancer treatment is predicting which patients will respond to a given therapy. Genprex's collaborators have made a pivotal discovery that could help solve this puzzle for Reqorsa®. Their research identified two proteins, TROP2 and PTEN, as potential biomarkers that can forecast how a patient's tumor might react to the TUSC2 gene therapy.

In preclinical models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), researchers found that low levels of TROP2 and high levels of PTEN were associated with primary resistance to the treatment. Conversely, when they increased the levels of TROP2 in cancer cells, the cells became more susceptible to the therapy's cancer-killing effects. This discovery is critical because both TROP2 and PTEN are already well-known players in cancer progression. TROP2 is often overexpressed in tumors, driving their growth, while PTEN is a tumor suppressor that is frequently lost or inactivated. By linking them specifically to Reqorsa®'s effectiveness, these findings pave the way for a more precise, personalized approach to treatment.

"The identification of TROP2 and PTEN as potential biomarkers of response to TUSC2 gene therapy in non-small cell lung cancer is a pivotal development," said Ryan Confer, President and Chief Executive Officer at Genprex. He noted that these insights "could refine patient selection strategies and optimize the therapeutic efficacy of REQORSA in a clinical setting."

Overcoming Resistance in Hard-to-Treat Tumors

A specific subset of NSCLC patients, whose tumors are driven by a genetic rearrangement known as ALK-positive (ALK+), have benefited greatly from targeted drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as alectinib. However, a majority of these patients eventually develop resistance to these life-extending therapies, leaving them with limited options.

Another study to be presented at AACR offers a potential solution. Researchers investigated Reqorsa®'s effectiveness in ALK+ NSCLC models, including those specifically engineered to be resistant to alectinib. The results were striking. Reqorsa® not only induced apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in these cancer cells but also demonstrated a powerful synergistic effect when combined with alectinib.

In an alectinib-sensitive mouse model, alectinib alone shrank tumors by 60%. The combination of Reqorsa® and alectinib, however, led to a 79% tumor shrinkage. Even more impressively, in a model of alectinib-resistant cancer, the combination therapy achieved the greatest tumor reduction and significantly improved overall survival. This suggests Reqorsa® could be a powerful tool to re-sensitize tumors to existing treatments or provide a new line of defense for patients who have exhausted other options.

Unleashing the Immune System's Own Killers

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Reqorsa® is its dual mechanism of action. Beyond delivering the TUSC2 tumor suppressor gene to directly halt cancer growth, the therapy also appears to act as a powerful immune stimulant, effectively recruiting the body's innate defenses.

A third preclinical study revealed that restoring TUSC2 function with Reqorsa® dramatically boosts the activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells. NK cells are a type of white blood cell that act as the immune system's first line of defense, capable of recognizing and destroying tumor cells without prior sensitization. The study found that treatment with Reqorsa® increased the expression of granzyme B and perforin—the toxic molecules NK cells use to puncture and kill their targets.

This enhanced immune attack had profound effects in mouse models. In the therapeutic setting, where treatment began after tumors were established, an astonishing 67% of mice with a specific genetic background achieved complete tumor regression. These findings position Reqorsa® as a potent immunomodulatory agent that functions as both a direct tumor suppressor and an activator of NK cell-mediated immunity, a combination that could lead to more durable and complete responses.

The Path from Lab to Clinic

While these preclinical results are highly encouraging, Genprex is already advancing Reqorsa® through human clinical trials. The therapy, which uses a non-viral lipid nanoparticle to deliver the TUSC2 gene intravenously, is designed to be taken up preferentially by cancer cells.

The company is currently enrolling patients in two key studies. The Acclaim-1 trial is evaluating Reqorsa® in combination with AstraZeneca's Tagrisso® for NSCLC patients who have progressed on that drug. The Acclaim-3 trial is testing Reqorsa® in combination with Genentech's Tecentriq® as a maintenance therapy for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Significantly, both of these lung cancer programs have received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a status designed to expedite the review of drugs that fill an unmet medical need. The SCLC program also has an Orphan Drug Designation, providing incentives to develop therapies for rare diseases. These regulatory milestones are crucial for a clinical-stage company like Genprex, as they can accelerate the path from lab to clinic and, ultimately, to patients. The comprehensive data set to be presented at AACR provides a robust scientific foundation for these ongoing trials, signaling a potentially transformative new approach in the fight against lung cancer.