Phio Pharmaceuticals Announces American Academy of Dermatology 2026 Presentation Featuring Clinical Study Results from Study of PH-762 for Cutaneous Carcinoma Underscoring Clinical Pipeline Advancement
Rhea-AI Summary
Phio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PHIO) will present Phase 1b clinical results for PH-762 at the American Academy of Dermatology Late-Breaking Research Session on March 28, 2026 at 3:00 PM MDT in Denver. The presentation reports 22 patients treated across five dose cohorts, no dose-limiting toxicities or serious adverse events, ~65% pathological response in cSCC overall and 85% response in the highest-dose cohort. FDA engagement for next-stage development is targeted for Q2 2026; cash runway is projected into H1 2027.
Positive
- 22 patients completed treatment across five dose cohorts
- No dose-limiting toxicities or serious adverse events reported
- ~65% pathological response rate in cSCC across cohorts
- 85% pathological response in highest-dose cSCC cohort
- FDA engagement for next-stage development targeted in Q2 2026
Negative
- Small sample size: 22 patients limits statistical certainty
- Early-stage data: Phase 1b results are preliminary for efficacy
- Cash runway projected only into H1 2027, indicating limited liquidity
News Market Reaction – PHIO
On the day this news was published, PHIO gained 2.46%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +3.1% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 3 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $365K to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $15.21M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
PHIO was up 3.39% while key biotech peers like PHGE, ADAP, APLM, BCDA and BCTX showed declines between about -1.6% and -17.57%, indicating stock-specific strength versus a weak peer tape.
Previous Clinical trial Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25 | Enrollment completed | Positive | +3.5% | Completion of Phase 1b enrollment with multiple responses and no dose limits. |
| Nov 07 | Clinical data preview | Positive | +5.4% | Announcement of PH-762 clinical results presentation at SITC annual meeting. |
| Jun 25 | Dose escalation advance | Positive | -1.8% | Safety committee cleared trial to advance to fifth dose cohort. |
| May 07 | Positive cohort results | Positive | +18.6% | Third cohort showed strong complete responses with good tolerability. |
| Mar 10 | AAD podium data | Positive | -0.8% | AAD 2025 podium presentation of interim PH-762 Phase 1b results. |
Clinical trial updates for PH-762 have often led to positive but variable price moves, with several strong rallies alongside occasional negative reactions despite favorable data.
Recent news flow has centered on PH-762’s Phase 1b program in cutaneous carcinomas, with repeated reports of favorable safety and meaningful pathological responses. Clinical updates on Nov 25, 2025 and SITC/AAD presentations highlighted dose-escalation progress and response rates. Some of these clinical milestones produced sizeable gains, such as the 18.6% move on May 7, 2025, while others saw modest or negative reactions. Today’s AAD 2026 podium announcement extends this pattern of incremental clinical validation and visibility for PH-762.
Historical Comparison
PHIO’s past clinical trial headlines produced an average move of 4.98%, with reactions ranging from modest declines to an 18.6% gain on strong cohort data.
Clinical updates show steady Phase 1b progression for PH-762, from early cohort pathology signals, through safety-driven dose escalations and enrollment completion, to repeated podium presentations at SITC and AAD meetings.
Regulatory & Risk Context
An effective resale registration covers up to 11,763,800 warrant shares, with Phio receiving up to $24.5 million only if holders exercise the warrants for cash, which the company indicates would support working capital and PH-762 development.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights late-breaking AAD 2026 podium recognition for PH-762 with Phase 1b data showing ~65% pathological response in cSCC and 85% in the highest-dose cohort. The company targets FDA engagement in Q2 2026 and projects cash runway into H1 2027. Compared with prior clinical updates that showed consistent safety and response signals, this event reinforces the program’s trajectory while investors may watch for formal FDA feedback and any financing activity tied to existing warrant structures.
Key Terms
sirna medical
gene silencing medical
pd-1 medical
intratumoral medical
immunotherapy medical
neoadjuvant medical
cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma medical
merkel cell carcinoma medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Prestigious Late-Breaking Research Session Positions PH-762 as a Promising New PD-1 Directed Immunotherapy Candidate on March 28, 2026 at 3 PM (MDT)
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - March 23, 2026) - Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: PHIO) is a clinical-stage siRNA biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics using its proprietary INTASYL® gene silencing technology to eliminate cancer. Phio announced today that a podium presentation addressing its lead product candidate, PH-762, will be given in the American Academy of Dermatology's Late-Breaking Research Session S034 on March 28, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
The presentation, entitled "PD-1 Directed Intratumoral Immunotherapy: Results of an Escalating Dose Study of INTASYL PH-762 for Cutaneous Carcinomas", will highlight results of Phio's Phase 1b clinical study (NCT 06014086) which evaluated the safety and tolerability of neoadjuvant use of intratumoral PH-762 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.
"The clinical study results are encouraging and firmly guide Phio to continued clinical development of this immuno-oncology therapy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma," said Mary Spellman M.D., Phio's acting Chief Medical Officer. "Preliminary clinical evidence demonstrates that intratumoral PH-762 may provide substantial clinical benefit, with notable pathologic response, and modest mean reductions in tumor burden following treatment."
| Presentation Details for S034 Late-Breaking Research Session 2 | |
| Title: | PD-1 Directed Intratumoral Immunotherapy Results of an Escalating Dose Study of INTASYL PH-762 for Cutaneous Carcinomas |
| Presenter: | Mary Spellman, MD, FAAD |
| Time: | 3:00 - 3:12 PM (MDT) |
| Date: | March 28, 2026 |
| Location: | Bellco Theatre, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado |
Recent Company Highlights
Phio's lead clinical candidate, PH-762, is being evaluated as an intratumoral therapy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. In its Phase 1b trial, Phio has reported that 22 patients completed treatment across five dose-escalation cohorts, with no dose-limiting toxicities or serious adverse events. The Company has also reported a pathological response rate in cSCC across all dosing cohorts of approximately
Phio has indicated that FDA engagement regarding next-stage clinical development is targeted for the second quarter of 2026 and has reported cash and cash equivalents projected to sustain operations into the first half of 2027.
About Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.
Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: PHIO) is a clinical-stage siRNA biopharmaceutical company advancing its INTASYL® gene silencing technology in immuno-oncology. Phio's INTASYL compounds are designed to enhance the body's immune cells to more effectively kill cancer cells. Notably, INTASYL is a self-delivering RNAi technology focused on immuno-oncology therapeutics without the need for formulation enhancements or manipulations to reach its target. Phio's lead clinical program is an INTASYL compound, PH-762, that silences the PD-1 gene implicated in various forms of skin cancer. The Phase 1b trial (NCT# 06014086) evaluated PH-762 for the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. PH-762 is a potential non-surgical treatment for skin cancers.
For additional information, visit the Company's website, www.phiopharma.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "intends," "believes," "anticipates," "indicates," "plans," "expects," "suggests," "may," "would," "should," "potential," "designed to," "will," "ongoing," "estimate," "forecast," "target," "predict," "could" and similar references, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements, which include statements regarding the anticipated benefits of our INTASYL™ RNAi platform, the results from our ongoing clinical trials, our expectations that our cash runway will extend into the first half of 2027, our expectations regarding timing of FDA submissions intended to propose and seek guidance for next steps in clinical study design for PH-762, details regarding our planned non-clinical toxicology study, and our ability to support ongoing clinical development, operational requirements and strategic initiatives with the capital we currently have on hand, are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of important factors, including, but not limited to, the impact to our business and operations by inflationary pressures, rising interest rates, recession fears, the development of our product candidates, results from our preclinical and clinical activities, our ability to execute on business strategies, our ability to develop our product candidates with collaboration partners, and the success of any such collaborations, the timeline and duration for advancing our product candidates into clinical development, the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, the success of our efforts to commercialize our product candidates if approved, our ability to manufacture and supply our product candidates for clinical activities, and for commercial use if approved, the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our technology platform, our ability to obtain future financing, market and other conditions and those risks identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the caption "Risk Factors" and in other filings the Company periodically makes with the SEC. Readers are urged to review these risk factors and to not act in reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ from those contemplated by our forward-looking statements. Phio does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by law.
For additional information, visit the Company's website, www.phiopharma.com.
Contact:
Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.
Jennifer Phillips: jphillips@phiopharma.com
Corporate Affairs
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289479
FAQ
When and where will PHIO present PH-762 Phase 1b results at AAD 2026?
What were the safety findings for PH-762 in PHIO's Phase 1b study (PHIO: PHIO)?
What pathological response rates did PHIO report for PH-762 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma?
What is PHIO's planned regulatory timeline for PH-762 development (PHIO: PHIO)?
How long does Phio expect its cash to sustain operations after the PH-762 update?
