Immutep Quarterly Activities Report Q2 FY26
Rhea-AI Summary
Immutep (NASDAQ: IMMP / ASX: IMM) reported Q2 FY26 operational and clinical progress, highlighted by a strategic collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s for efti outside North America, Europe, Japan and Greater China, with an upfront ~A$30.2M and up to ~A$528.4M in milestones plus royalties.
Key clinical milestones: TACTI-004 Phase III enrolment progressing (289 patients, ~38% of target), EFTISARC-NEO met its primary endpoint, INSIGHT-003 showed strong 1L NSCLC responses, IMP761 Phase I dosing advanced, four patents granted, and pro-forma cash of ~A$129.3M extending runway into Q2 CY2027.
Positive
- Strategic collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s including ~A$30.2M upfront and up to ~A$528.4M milestones
- TACTI-004 Phase III enrolment at 289 patients (~38% of 756 target) with futility analysis on track
- EFTISARC-NEO met primary endpoint with median 51.5% tumour hyalinization/fibrosis (p<0.001)
- INSIGHT-003 showed 61.7% ORR in TPS <50% subgroup versus 40.8% historical control
- IMP761 Phase I completed 2.5 and 7 mg/kg dosing with dose-dependent immunosuppressive effect and favourable safety
- Pro-forma cash position of A$129.3M (incl. Dr. Reddy’s upfront) extending cash reach into Q2 CY2027
Negative
- INSIGHT-005 investigator-initiated urothelial study was discontinued after recruiting only 3 patients due to recruitment challenges
- TACTI-004 is not yet half enrolled (289 of 756 patients, ~38% enrolled) leaving key readouts pending
- Quarterly R&D cash use was A$9.9M contributing to A$9.4M net operating cash outflow in Q2 FY26
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, IMMP declined 2.94%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
IMMP slipped -0.65% while biotech peers like ACIU (-2.8%), CADL (-5.75%), EDIT (-3.29%), FENC (-4.6%), and HUMA (-3.85%) also traded lower, but no coordinated momentum signal appeared.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22 | IMP761 Phase I update | Positive | +4.9% | Dose-escalation data for IMP761 showing favourable safety and dose-dependent immunosuppression. |
| Dec 16 | TACTI-004 progress | Positive | +2.0% | Strong operational progress in registrational TACTI-004 Phase III NSCLC trial. |
| Dec 08 | Efti licensing deal | Positive | +26.1% | Strategic collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s for efti and significant upfront and milestone terms. |
| Dec 02 | AIPAC-003 data preview | Positive | -7.1% | Announcement of strong metastatic breast cancer data to be presented at SABCS 2025. |
| Nov 13 | EFTISARC-NEO results | Positive | +2.8% | Phase II EFTISARC-NEO met primary endpoint with significant tumour hyalinization and biomarker changes. |
Recent positive clinical and partnership news has usually aligned with upward price moves, with one notable divergence on breast cancer data.
Over the past few months, Immutep has reported several key milestones spanning partnerships and multiple clinical programs. On Nov 13, positive Phase II EFTISARC-NEO data showed strong biomarker responses in soft tissue sarcoma. Subsequent updates in December highlighted robust TACTI-004 Phase III enrolment, strong AIPAC-003 breast cancer data, and a strategic efti licensing deal with Dr. Reddy’s that lifted shares by 26.11%. A December Phase I update on IMP761 for autoimmune diseases also produced a positive reaction. Today’s quarterly update largely consolidates and extends these themes while adding detailed financials and cash runway.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement combines a strategic efti licensing collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s, multiple positive readouts across NSCLC, soft tissue sarcoma, and breast cancer, and confirmation of a strong cash position of A$99.1 million (pro-forma A$129.3 million). It extends themes from prior updates on TACTI-004, AIPAC-003, EFTISARC-NEO, and IMP761. Investors may track progress toward the TACTI-004 futility analysis, additional IMP761 data in 1H CY2026, and how operating cash outflows of A$9.4 million evolve relative to this expanded pipeline.
Key Terms
non-small cell lung cancer medical
pd-l1 medical
objective response rate medical
disease control rate medical
neoadjuvant medical
lag-3 medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Media Release
- Entered into strategic collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s for commercialisation of eftilagimod alfa (efti) in all countries outside North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China
- In January 2026, Immutep received ~A
$30 million upfront payment from Dr. Reddy’s and is eligible to receive up to ~A$528 million in potential milestones, plus royalties on commercial sales of efti - Strong operational progress reported for TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91) Phase III trial evaluating efti in first line non-small cell lung cancer (1L NSCLC), with completion of the futility analysis on track for the first quarter of CY2026
- Data from INSIGHT-003 at ESMO Congress 2025 show combination of efti with KEYTRUDA® and chemotherapy generates strong response rates across all PD-L1 expression levels in 1L NSCLC, including
61.7% ORR in low & no PD-L1 (TPS <50% ), well above40.8% from historical controls - Primary endpoint met in EFTISARC-NEO Phase II evaluating neoadjuvant efti in soft tissue sarcoma detailed in Proferred Paper oral presentation at ESMO Congress 2025
- Translational data from EFTISARC-NEO shared in an oral presentation at CTOS 2025 demonstrate efti’s strong immune system activation with statistically-significant increases in multiple cytokines / chemokines and correlation between key immune proteins and pathologic responses
- Positive feedback received from the FDA regarding the successful completion of Project Optimus requirements and agreement on 30 mg as the optimal biological dose for efti
- Strong response rates and immune activation in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients from AIPAC-003 Phase II presented at 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
- IMP761, a first-in-class LAG-3 agonist antibody for autoimmune diseases, completed 2.5 and 7 mg / kg dosing levels in a Phase I study; dose dependent immunosuppressive effect against a strong foreign antigen observed with continued favourable safety profile
- Immutep received A
$4.6 million R&D tax incentive from the French government to support the ongoing and planned global clinical development of efti and IMP761 - Strong cash, cash equivalent and term deposit position of A
$99.1 million as at 31 December 2025. Receipt of the ~A$30 million upfront payment subsequent to the quarter’s end leading to a pro-forma balance of A$129.3 million which extends Immutep’s cash reach well into Q2 CY2027, not including any potential milestone payments from the Dr. Reddy’s agreement.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) (“Immutep” or “the Company”), a late-stage immunotherapy company targeting cancer and autoimmune diseases, provides an update on its activities for the quarter ended 31 December 2025 (Q2 FY26).
EFTI DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN ONCOLOGY
IMMUTEP AND DR. REDDY’S STRATEGIC COLLABORATION
Most significantly, in December, Immutep and Dr. Reddy’s announced that their respective wholly-owned subsidiaries, Immutep SAS and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories SA, entered into a strategic collaboration and exclusive licensing agreement for the development and commercialisation of eftilagimod alfa (efti) in all countries outside North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China.
Efti is Immutep’s first-in-class novel immunotherapy that directly activates the immune system to fight cancer, which is under evaluation in a Phase III trial, TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91).
As per the agreement, and after the quarter’s end, Immutep has received from Dr. Reddy’s the upfront payment of USD 20 million (~AUD 30.2 million). It is also eligible to receive potential regulatory development and commercial milestone payments of up to USD 349.5 million (~AUD 528.4 million), plus royalties on commercial sales in these markets.
Immutep holds the global manufacturing rights to the product across all markets and will supply the product to Dr. Reddy’s in the licensed markets. Immutep retains all rights to the product in the key pharmaceutical markets, including North America, Europe, and Japan.
LUNG CANCER
TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91) – Ongoing Phase III Trial in 1L NSCLC
In December, Immutep reported strong operational progress in the TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91) Phase III trial evaluating efti in combination with MSD’s (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), and chemotherapy as first line therapy for advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (1L NSCLC), one of the largest indications in oncology.
The combination of efti with KEYTRUDA and chemotherapy has the potential to establish a new standard of care in 1L NSCLC by expanding the number of patients who respond to anti-PD-1 therapy, across all PD-L1 expression levels, along with enhancing clinical outcomes and extending patients’ survival.
As of mid-December, the registrational TACTI-004 trial had enrolled 289 patients (over
As announced in October 2025, TACTI-004 had enrolled the necessary number of patients to conduct the futility analysis that remains on track for the first quarter of CY2026. Immutep anticipates reaching
Additionally, with the completion of Project Optimus as discussed below, TACTI-004 has started to open sites in the United States.
INSIGHT-003 – Phase I Trial in Non-Squamous 1L NSCLC
In October, Immutep announced promising data from the investigator-initiated INSIGHT-003 trial, which is evaluating the same immunotherapy/chemotherapy combination used in TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91), was detailed in a poster presented by Dr. med. Akin Atmaca, Head of the Thoracic Oncology, Krankenhaus Nordwest, UCT-University Cancer Center, Frankfurt, Germany at the ESMO Congress 2025.
In this multi-centre study, the novel combination of efti with KEYTRUDA and chemotherapy (carboplatin/pemetrexed) has generated strong objective response rates (ORR) and disease control rates (DCR) in 51 evaluable patients with advanced or metastatic non-squamous 1L NSCLC across all PD-L1 expression levels.
Notably, the ORR and DCR reported in INSIGHT-003 outperforms historical controls irrespective of PD-L1 levels (e.g., TPS <
Further to the strong efficacy data from INSIGHT-003, the combination with efti continues to have a favourable safety profile.
SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA
EFTISARC-NEO – Phase II Trial in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
In October, Immutep announced that positive data from the EFTISARC-NEO Phase II investigator-initiated trial evaluating efti with radiotherapy plus KEYTRUDA in the neoadjuvant setting for resectable soft tissue sarcoma (STS) was shared in a Proffered Paper oral presentation by Katarzyna Kozak, M.D., Ph.D., Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland at the ESMO Congress 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
The EFTISARC-NEO trial met the primary endpoint and significantly exceeded the study’s prespecified
In November, early translational data from the EFTISARC-NEO trial were detailed in an oral presentation by Paweł Sobczuk, M.D., Ph.D., Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland, at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) 2025 Annual Meeting held in Boca Raton, Florida. Results from the initial twenty patients who underwent surgery in the trial show a strong immune system activation in line with efti’s mode of action, with statistically significant increases in the expression of key cytokines and chemokines in peripheral blood — specifically CXCL9, CXCL10, IL-23, and IFN-γ.
The increase on treatment of immune response biomarkers like IFN-γ correlated with pathologic responses in this study, meaning patients with a biomarker increase during treatment also had a higher probability of a good clinical response at surgery.
Additionally, during the quarter, the EFTISARC NEO trial was awarded second place in the distinguished Golden Scalpel Award competition in Poland. This competition recognises the most innovative solutions in Polish medicine and is presented by independent experts to initiatives that set new standards in advancing healthcare. EFTISARC-NEO was the only oncology project to receive this accolade, underscoring its leadership and breakthrough potential in cancer treatment.
BREAST CANCER
AIPAC-003 – Phase II/III Trial in Metastatic Breast Cancer
Immutep continues to execute the AIPAC-003 trial, which has enrolled 71 metastatic hormone receptor positive (HR+), HER2-negative/low patients resistant to endocrine therapy including cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors or triple-negative breast cancer patients.
Immutep completed patient enrolment in the randomised Phase II portion of the AIPAC-003 trial in late 2024. Patients across 22 clinical sites in Europe and the United States have been randomised 1:1 to receive either 30 mg or 90 mg dosing of efti in combination with paclitaxel to determine the optimal biological dose consistent with the FDA’s Project Optimus initiative and prior regulatory interaction with FDA.
In October, Immutep announced that positive feedback had been received from the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) regarding the successful completion of Project Optimus requirements and agreement on 30 mg as the optimal biological dose for efti. The agreement with the FDA on efti’s optimal biological dosing carries strategic importance in the ongoing and future clinical development of efti, including the global TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91) Phase III trial.
In December, Immutep announced that new data from the AIPAC-003 trial was presented by Dr. Nuhad Ibrahim, Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) taking place in San Antonio, Texas.
The data presented shows that both efti dosing levels on top of weekly paclitaxel in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients, who received a median of three prior lines of systemic therapy, led to strong objective response rates (ORR) and disease control rates (DCR) of
New Investigator-Initiated Phase II Trial for Neoadjuvant Efti in HR+/HER2-negative Breast Cancer
Immutep continues to progress with a new investigator-initiated Phase II trial evaluating neoadjuvant efti as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy prior to surgery in early-stage HR+/HER2-negative breast cancer patients. The trial aims to assess pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant efti treatment and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).
The study will treat up to 50 evaluable patients in a two-stage design and will be primarily funded by grants and The GW University Cancer Center. Immutep will provide efti at no cost, technical support, and limited funding that falls within its existing budget.
UROTHELIAL CANCER
INSIGHT-005
The investigator-initiated INSIGHT-005 Phase I study, conducted by the Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Krankenhaus Nordwest (IKF) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of efti in combination with avelumab in up to 30 patients with metastatic urothelial cancer, was discontinued by IKF after the end of the quarter. This decision was made, as significant changes in the treatment landscape created challenges with patient recruitment. Only 3 patients were recruited in total.
IMP761 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
IMP761 – Phase I Trial
In December, Immutep announced a positive update from the placebo-controlled, double-blind first-in-human Phase I study in healthy participants evaluating IMP761, a first-in-class LAG-3 agonist antibody for autoimmune diseases.
The single-ascending dose escalation portion of the trial successfully completed the 2.5 and 7 mg / kg dosing levels of IMP761 with continued positive safety and efficacy data. IMP761 was tolerated well with no treatment-related adverse reactions beyond mild intensity. Additionally, evidence of dose dependent immunosuppressive effects with IMP761 was observed with significant, long-lasting inhibition of the three T-cell-mediated intradermal reactions to a strong foreign antigen on day 2, 9 and 23.
Given the encouraging efficacy and safety to date, the trial will continue as planned and additional updates are anticipated in the first half of CY2026 including a planned presentation of data at a major medical conference.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
During the quarter, Immutep was granted four patents.
The New Zealand Patent Office granted a new patent protecting Immutep’s intellectual property for a binding assay for determining MHC Class II binding activity of LAG-3 protein. The assay is used in the characterisation of efti in GMP-grade manufacturing.
Three new patents directed to IMP761 were also granted. Two were granted in Brazil and one in Japan.
CORPORATE & FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Annual General Meeting
Immutep successfully held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) during the quarter, with all resolutions put forward to shareholders strongly approved. The Company appreciates the continued support and engagement of its shareholders as it advances its strategic and operational objectives.
Cash Flow Summary
During the quarter, Immutep continued to exercise prudent cash management as it advanced its clinical trial programs for efti and for IMP761.
The Company is well funded with a strong cash and cash equivalent, and term deposit balance as at 31 December 2025 of approximately A
In Q2 FY26, cash receipts from customers were A
The cash used in R&D activities during the quarter was A
Payment for staff costs was A
Payments to Related Parties comprises Non-Executive Directors’ fees and Executive Directors’ remuneration of A
Total cash outflow used in investing activities for the quarter was A
Furthermore, during the quarter, a long-term vendor* agreed to defer payment of ~A
The current funds available to the Company at the time of this report provide an expected cash reach well into Q2 CY2027, not including receipt of any future potential milestone payments to be received.
About Immutep
Immutep is a late-stage biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune disease. The Company is a pioneer in the understanding and advancement of therapeutics related to Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3), and its diversified product portfolio harnesses LAG-3’s ability to stimulate or suppress the immune response. Immutep is dedicated to leveraging its expertise to bring innovative treatment options to patients in need and to maximise value for shareholders. For more information, please visit www.immutep.com.
- Shirish Gadgeel et al. Updated Analysis From KEYNOTE-189: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum for Previously Untreated Metastatic Nonsquamous Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer. JCO 38, 1505-1517 (2020). DOI:10.1200/JCO.19.03136
- Immutep’s Efti with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) & Chemotherapy Achieves High Response Rates in First-Line Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - May 2025 press release
- ESMO Congress 2025 Proffered Paper presentation, “EFTISARC-NEO: A phase II study of neoadjuvant eftilagimod alpha, pembrolizumab and radiotherapy in patients with resectable soft tissue sarcoma”
- Rao SR et al. Extent of tumor fibrosis/hyalinization and infarction following neoadjuvant radiation therapy is associated with improved survival in patients with soft-tissue sarcoma. Cancer Med. 2022 Jan;11(1):194-206. doi: 10.1002/cam4.4428. Epub 2021 Nov 27. PMID: 34837341; PMCID: PMC8704179.
Australian Investors/Media:
Eleanor Pearson, Sodali & Co.
+61 2 9066 4071; eleanor.pearson@sodali.com
U.S. Investors/Media:
Chris Basta, VP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
+1 (631) 318 4000; chris.basta@immutep.com
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*Immutep does not consider the arrangement with or the identity of the vendor to be information that a reasonable person would expect to have a material effect on the price or value of the entity’s securities and considers that this disclosure contains all materially relevant and accurate information in assessing the impact on the value of Immutep’s securities. The long-term vendor is recognised internationally as one of the leaders in its sector, supporting a broad portfolio of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies across multiple regions. The vendor operates multiple state-of-the-art facilities across Asia, North America, and Europe and is recognised for its strong financial position, robust global infrastructure, and industry-leading quality systems. It is publicly listed on a major international exchange.