PHILADELPHIA, PA — Context Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CNTX) presented preclinical and translational data on its clinical asset, CT-95, at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. The findings highlight CT-95’s potential to address mesothelin-expressing cancers, including pancreatic, ovarian, and mesothelioma, which represent significant unmet treatment needs.
“There is a high unmet need for effective treatments in mesothelin expressing cancers. CT-95 is affinity tuned and avidity enhanced to concentrate drug activity within the tumor microenvironment,” said Martin Lehr, Chief Executive Officer of Context. “We believe these preclinical and translational data support the clinical strategy to target mesothelin expressing cancers, including pancreatic, ovarian, and mesothelioma. We recently dosed the first patient in our Phase 1 clinical trial of CT-95 and expect to share initial clinical data in mid-2026.”
According to the preclinical results, CT-95 selectively binds to mesothelin-expressing cells, targeting a unique membrane-proximal region of mesothelin. This specificity minimizes binding to shed mesothelin fragments, an issue that has historically hindered the efficacy of MSLN-targeted therapies. The data also demonstrate that CT-95 is highly active in vivo, well tolerated across models, and triggers T cell activation without widespread cytokine release.
CT-95 is a fully humanized bispecific T cell engager designed to redirect T cells to attack cancer cells with membrane-bound mesothelin. This protein is overexpressed in about 30% of cancers, yet developing treatments has been challenging due to the presence of shed mesothelin fragments in blood and the tumor environment. By adapting affinity and avidity to focus on tumor-bound mesothelin, CT-95 aims to overcome these obstacles.
The company’s Phase 1 clinical trial for CT-95 recently began at U.S.-based clinical sites, marking a significant step in advancing the asset’s development. Initial clinical data are expected to be unveiled in mid-2026.
With compelling data showcased at the AACR Annual Meeting, CT-95 stands as a promising new approach in mesothelin-positive cancer treatment. Context Therapeutics continues to position itself as a leader in cancer immunotherapy, leveraging innovation to bring more effective options to patients with hard-to-treat cancers.
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