DOYLESTOWN, PA — Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: APRE) told shareholders it is entering 2026 with advancing cancer programs, improving clinical signals, and a cash runway that management says extends into early 2027.
In a year-end letter, Chief Executive Officer Oren Gilad said the company’s lead asset, APR-1051, a next-generation WEE1 inhibitor, continues to show encouraging activity in an ongoing dose-escalation study. Patients are now being enrolled at the 220-milligram dose level, with no dose-limiting toxicities reported through the 150-milligram cohort.
Gilad said several patients have achieved disease stabilization, with the longest treatment duration reaching more than seven months. The most notable response so far has been a 15 percent reduction in tumor burden, and the company is seeing higher rates of stabilization at increased dose levels.
Based on early signs of activity in a patient with HPV-positive head and neck cancer, Aprea amended its trial protocol to enroll additional patients with HPV-positive tumors. The move aligns with preclinical work from a research collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center showing single-agent activity and potential synergy when APR-1051 is combined with immunotherapy.
Further safety and efficacy data from the APR-1051 program are expected in the first quarter of 2026, with dose escalation projected to conclude later in the year.
Aprea’s second clinical program, ATRN-119, has reached its recommended Phase 2 dose for once-daily dosing. To conserve cash, the company is pausing further enrollment in monotherapy arms while it evaluates potential combination strategies. Management said preclinical data suggest ATRN-119 could work alongside radiation, antibody-drug conjugates, or immune checkpoint inhibitors, and discussions with academic centers are ongoing.
On the financial front, Gilad said a recently completed $3.1 million private placement has extended the company’s cash runway into the first quarter of 2027. He noted that senior executives and a board member participated in the financing alongside healthcare-focused investors, signaling internal confidence in the strategy.
Aprea said its focus for the year ahead is disciplined execution, advancing clinical milestones, and increasing investor awareness as it seeks to translate scientific progress into long-term shareholder value.
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