NuCana Presents Latest Data Demonstrating Clinical Activity and Favorable Safety for NUC-7738 in Patients with PD-1-Resistant Melanoma

Rhea-AI Summary

NuCana (NASDAQ: NCNA) presented Phase 2 expansion data for NUC-7738 plus pembrolizumab at ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress on Dec 10, 2025. The dataset in PD-1 inhibitor‑resistant metastatic melanoma shows clinical activity and a favorable safety profile.

Key results: 2 partial responses (one confirmed), 7 stable disease cases including one ongoing stable disease that converted to a complete metabolic response, and no new safety signals. Nine patients have been treated in the Expansion Cohort; combined with 12 in the Dose Confirmation Cohort the program may include up to 40 patients.

Positive

• Two partial responses, one confirmed
• Seven stable disease cases with one converting to complete metabolic response
• No new safety signals observed in treated patients
• Nine patients treated in Expansion Cohort as of Dec 10, 2025

Negative

• Planned combination dataset incomplete—up to 40 patients planned
• One reported partial response remains unconfirmed

News Market Reaction

-0.23%

2 alerts

-0.23% News Effect

-13.9% Trough Tracked

-$65K Valuation Impact

$28M Market Cap

0.8x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, NCNA declined 0.23%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. Argus tracked a trough of -13.9% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $65K from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $28M at that time.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Partial responses: 2 patients Stable disease: 7 patients Complete metabolic response: 1 patient +5 more

8 metrics

Partial responses 2 patients NUC-7738 + pembrolizumab in PD-1-resistant melanoma

Stable disease 7 patients NUC-7738 combination cohort disease control

Complete metabolic response 1 patient Ongoing stable disease converting to no detectable active disease

Expansion Cohort treated 9 patients Phase 2 NUC-7738 + pembrolizumab Expansion Cohort

Planned additional enrollment up to 28 patients Planned Expansion Cohort size

Dose Confirmation Cohort 12 patients Previously treated in NUC-7738 combination study

Total combination dataset up to 40 patients Combined Expansion and Dose Confirmation Cohorts

ESMO IO 2025 dates December 10–12, 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology Immuno-Oncology Congress

Market Reality Check

Price: $3.26 Vol: Volume 32,940 vs. 20-day ...

low vol

$3.26 Last Close

Volume Volume 32,940 vs. 20-day average 65,445 (about half typical activity pre-news). low

Technical Price $4.28 is trading below 200-day MA at $46.51, indicating a longer-term downtrend pre-news.

Peers on Argus

Peers show mixed moves with several declines (e.g., TNFA -9.72%, PMCB -4.31%, AL...

Peers show mixed moves with several declines (e.g., TNFA -9.72%, PMCB -4.31%, ALZN -3.34%) and one modest gainer AIM +0.68%, suggesting today’s context is stock-specific rather than a broad biotech surge.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Nov 13 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 13	Q3 earnings update	Positive	-7.9%	Reported Q3 results, major financings, cash runway into 2029, and trial timelines.
Nov 05	Patent grant news	Positive	+4.7%	Granted composition-of-matter patent for NUC-7738 expanding global IP protection.
Oct 14	Clinical data update	Positive	+1.2%	Reported encouraging NUC-3373 plus PD-1 data with deep and durable responses.
Sep 05	Nasdaq compliance	Positive	+0.3%	Confirmed full Nasdaq listing compliance and cash runway to support milestones.
Sep 03	Conference presentation	Neutral	+2.0%	Announced upcoming ESMO 2025 presentation on NUC-7738 and PD-1 synergy.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive clinical, IP, and listing updates have usually seen modest positive price reactions, while the more complex Q3 earnings and financing update drew a negative response.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, NuCana has highlighted balance-sheet strengthening and pipeline progress. On Sep 03 and Sep 05, it confirmed Nasdaq compliance and extended cash runway into 2029. Subsequent news on NUC-3373 data (Oct 14) and a new NUC-7738 patent in China (Nov 05) supported the oncology franchise. The Nov 13 Q3 2025 update mixed financing and clinical timelines and was sold off. Today’s NUC-7738 melanoma update fits the ongoing focus on immuno-oncology combinations.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement provides additional Phase 2 evidence that NUC-7738 plus pembrolizumab shows clinic...

Analysis

This announcement provides additional Phase 2 evidence that NUC-7738 plus pembrolizumab shows clinical activity in PD-1-resistant metastatic melanoma, including 2 partial responses, 7 cases of stable disease, and a complete metabolic response within a still-small cohort of 9 Expansion patients. Combined with prior work on NUC-7738 and NUC-3373, it reinforces NuCana’s immuno-oncology focus. Investors may watch for completion of the planned up to 40-patient dataset and future updates on durability and regulatory strategy.

Key Terms

partial responses, stable disease, complete metabolic response, phase 2, +4 more

8 terms

partial responses medical

"include Partial Responses, Durable Disease Control, and No New Safety"

A partial response is when a treatment produces a clear, measurable improvement in a disease—such as reduced tumor size or better lab markers—but does not eliminate the condition entirely. For investors, partial responses signal that a drug or therapy is biologically active and may provide clinical benefit, yet they also indicate remaining unmet need, which affects the size of the potential market, pricing power, regulatory likelihood, and prospects for further development.

stable disease medical

"two partial responses (one confirmed) and seven cases of stable disease,"

Stable disease describes a situation in a clinical trial or treatment where a patient’s condition neither meaningfully improves nor worsens—tumors don’t shrink significantly but also don’t grow. For investors, this signal can matter because it shows a therapy may halt progression, which can support regulatory decisions, extend patient benefit and influence a drug’s commercial prospects; think of it as a stalled race where forward movement has paused but relapse hasn’t accelerated.

complete metabolic response medical

"ongoing stable disease converting to a complete metabolic response with no"

A complete metabolic response is an imaging result, usually from a PET scan, showing no detectable abnormal metabolic activity from a disease — in cancer terms, it indicates that tumor cells are no longer lighting up on a metabolic “heat” scan. For investors, this outcome is a strong sign that a treatment is working at the cellular level and can influence clinical-readout value, regulatory decisions, and a company’s future revenue prospects, much like a fire that no longer shows on a heat sensor.

phase 2 medical

"A Phase 2 expansion study of NUC-7738 in combination with"

Phase 2 is the mid-stage clinical trial where a new drug or treatment is tested in a larger group of patients to see if it works and to keep checking safety after initial human testing. Think of it as a field test that proves whether a product actually delivers its promised benefit. Investors watch Phase 2 closely because its results strongly influence a medicine’s chances of reaching the market, the size of its potential sales, and the company’s valuation.

pd-1 inhibitor-resistant medical

"patients with PD-1 inhibitor-resistant metastatic melanoma treated with"

PD-1 inhibitor-resistant describes tumors that no longer respond to a class of immunotherapies that work by releasing a “brake” on the immune system (PD-1 inhibitors). For investors, resistance signals a smaller or delayed market for those drugs and a higher need for alternative treatments or combination therapies, which can affect clinical trial design, regulatory chances, and potential valuation of companies developing next-generation solutions.

metastatic melanoma medical

"PD-1 inhibitor-resistant metastatic melanoma treated with NUC-7738"

A type of skin cancer that has spread from its original site to other organs or tissues in the body, making it more difficult to treat. For investors, it matters because the advanced stage changes expected treatment needs, clinical trial design, regulatory approval chances and potential market size for therapies — similar to how a problem that spreads beyond a single room requires a larger, more expensive solution than a localized issue.

expansion cohort medical

"nine patients have been treated in the Expansion Cohort, which is"

An expansion cohort is a larger group of patients added to a clinical trial after initial safety and dosing tests, used to collect more information about how well a treatment works and how safe it is. For investors, an expansion cohort is a sign that early results were promising enough to justify broader testing, which can reduce uncertainty about a drug’s prospects and influence timelines, valuation and funding decisions — like scaling from a prototype to a small production run.

dose confirmation cohort medical

"12 patients previously treated in the Dose Confirmation Cohort, this"

A dose confirmation cohort is a small group of trial participants used to verify that a chosen drug dose produces the expected safety and effect before advancing to larger studies. It acts like a final taste-test to make sure the amount being used is appropriate and tolerable, and its results matter to investors because they reduce clinical and regulatory risk, influence development timelines and costs, and help determine whether a program is likely to succeed.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Data Presented at ESMO IO 2025 include Partial Responses, Durable Disease Control, and No New Safety Signals, Reinforcing Earlier Findings

EDINBURGH, United Kingdom, Dec. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NuCana plc (NASDAQ: NCNA) (“NuCana” or the “Company”) presented the latest clinical data at the annual European Society for Medical Oncology (“ESMO”) Immuno-Oncology Congress, December 10-12, 2025, in London.

The data from patients with PD-1 inhibitor-resistant metastatic melanoma treated with NUC-7738 in combination with pembrolizumab continue to demonstrate clinical activity and a favorable safety profile. All patients had progressive disease prior to starting treatment. Clinical activity includes two partial responses (one confirmed) and seven cases of stable disease, notably including one ongoing stable disease converting to a complete metabolic response with no detectable active disease. These results further reinforce the initial findings presented at the ESMO Congress 2024.

As of the most recent analysis, nine patients have been treated in the Expansion Cohort, which is part of the planned enrollment of up to 28 additional patients. Combined with the 12 patients previously treated in the Dose Confirmation Cohort, this will provide a total combination dataset comprising up to 40 patients. No new safety signals have been observed, and several patients remain on therapy with ongoing disease control, including one unconfirmed partial response and durable stable disease.

“We are very pleased to share the continued progress from this study,” said Hugh S. Griffith, NuCana’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “The clinical activity and favorable safety profile of NUC-7738 support its potential to offer meaningful benefit for patients with advanced melanoma who have exhausted current treatment options.”

Mr. Griffith added: “These findings support continued enrollment and further clinical advancement as we move toward a potential registrational pathway.”

One of the study participants, who achieved complete metabolic response, was recently featured in the UK Channel 4 documentary series Cancer Detectives: Finding the Cures, which also profiled Professor Sarah Blagden, the study’s lead investigator and Professor of Experimental Oncology at the University of Oxford.

Details of NuCana’s presentation at the ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025 are as follows:

Abstract Title: A Phase 2 expansion study of NUC-7738 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with PD-1 inhibitor-resistant cutaneous melanoma (NuTide:701) 
Poster Number: 321TiP
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Presenting Author: Dr Miranda J. Payne

All regular abstracts accepted for presentation at the ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025 have been published online via the ESMO website on Thursday, December 4 at 12:05 p.m. CET (Wednesday, December 3 at 6:05 p.m. ET). All accepted abstracts will be published online in the ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025 Abstract Book, a supplement to the official ESMO journal, Immuno-Oncology and Technology (IOTECH). 

More information regarding the 2025 ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress can be found at: https://www.esmo.org/meeting-calendar/esmo-immuno-oncology-congress-2025

About NuCana

NuCana is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on significantly improving treatment outcomes for patients with cancer by applying our ProTide technology to transform some of the most widely prescribed chemotherapy agents, nucleoside analogs, into more effective and safer medicines. While these conventional agents remain part of the standard of care for the treatment of many solid and hematological tumors, they have significant shortcomings that limit their efficacy, and they are often poorly tolerated. Utilizing our proprietary technology, we are developing new medicines, ProTides, designed to overcome the key limitations of nucleoside analogs and generate much higher concentrations of anti-cancer metabolites in cancer cells. NuCana’s pipeline includes NUC-7738 and NUC-3373. NUC-7738 is a novel anti-cancer agent that disrupts RNA polyadenylation, profoundly impacts gene expression in cancer cells and targets multiple aspects of the tumor microenvironment. NUC-7738 is in the Phase 2 part of a Phase 1/2 study which is evaluating NUC-7738 as a monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with melanoma. NUC-3373 is a new chemical entity derived from the nucleoside analog 5-fluorouracil, a widely used chemotherapy agent. NUC-3373 has recently been evaluated in a Phase 1b/2 modular study (NuTide:303) of NUC-3373 in combination with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab for patients with advanced solid tumors and in combination with docetaxel for patients with lung cancer, and NuCana is currently evaluating further characterization of mode of action and target indications for further clinical studies of NUC-3373.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on the beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management of the Company. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements concerning the Company’s planned and ongoing clinical studies for the Company’s product candidates and the potential advantages of those product candidates, including NUC-7738 and NUC-3373; the initiation, enrollment, timing, progress, release of data from and results of those planned and ongoing clinical studies; the Company’s goals with respect to the development, regulatory pathway and potential use, if approved, of each of its product candidates; and the utility of prior non-clinical and clinical data in determining future clinical results. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to raise additional capital sufficient to fund our planned operations and the risks and uncertainties set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 20, 2025, and subsequent reports that the Company files with the SEC. Forward-looking statements represent the Company’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release to conform any of the forward-looking statements to actual results or to changes in its expectations.

For more information, please contact:

NuCana plc
Hugh S. Griffith
Chief Executive Officer
+44 131-357-1111
info@nucana.com

ICR Healthcare
Chris Brinzey
+1 339-970-2843
Chris.Brinzey@ICRHealthcare.com

FAQ

What were the key NUC-7738 plus pembrolizumab results announced on Dec 10, 2025 for NCNA?

The presentation reported 2 partial responses (one confirmed), 7 stable disease cases including one converting to complete metabolic response, and no new safety signals.

How many patients were treated in the NUC-7738 expansion cohort reported by NCNA?

As of the analysis, 9 patients were treated in the Expansion Cohort; combined with 12 prior patients the program may reach up to 40 patients.

Does the NCNA data for NUC-7738 show new safety concerns in PD-1-resistant melanoma?

No new safety signals were observed in the reported cohort.

What is the significance of the complete metabolic response reported for NCNA's NUC-7738 study?

One ongoing stable disease case converted to a complete metabolic response, indicating no detectable active disease by the reported assessment.

Will NuCana continue enrolling patients in the NUC-7738 pembrolizumab study (NCNA)?

Yes; the company indicated continued enrollment toward the planned expansion of up to 40 total combination patients.