Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) is one of the must-buy small cap stocks to buy. On April 13, Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) announced that it had dosed the first patient in one of three dose-expansion cohorts in its ongoing Phase 1 trial of VIR-5500. VIR-5500 is an investigational treatment for metastatic prostate cancer.
Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com
VIR-5500 is a type of therapy that redirects the immune system’s T-cells to attack cancer cells expressing the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). It leverages Vir’s proprietary PRO-XTEN dual-masked T-cell engager (TCE) technology. The “masking” component of the technology is designed to reduce the risk of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), which is a dangerous immune overreaction that typically limits how aggressively T-cell engagers can be dosed, according to Vir.
The company said the expansion cohort is now enrolling targets patients with late-line metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or mCRPC. These are male patients whose disease has progressed despite multiple prior treatments. According to Vir, this is the most difficult-to-treat population in prostate cancer.
Vir said plans are in motion for two additional expansion cohorts. One cohort will trial VIR-5500 in combination with enzalutamide for early-line mCRPC. The other one will be a combination cohort for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or mHSPC. The company expects the first patient dosing in both cohorts over the coming months.
Vir claims VIR-5500 is currently the only dual-masked PSMA-targeting TCE in clinical evaluation, and this distinguishes the therapy from other PSMA-targeted agents already on or approaching the market.
Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company. It develops antibody-based therapies designed to harness the immune system to treat infectious diseases and cancer. Its pipeline includes programs targeting chronic hepatitis delta, oncology therapies such as T-cell engagers for solid tumors, and early-stage efforts in HIV.
While we acknowledge the potential of VIR as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
READ NEXT: David Abrams’ Hedge Fund Is Betting On These 8 Stocks and 10 Best Energy Storage Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds.
Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.