MAIA Biotechnology Highlights Phase 3 Momentum And FDA Fast Track For Ateganosine In Third-Line NSCLC

Ongoing Phase 3 full approval clinical trial of ateganosine holds high probability of technical success for interim and full analysis

FDA Fast Track designation offers clear pathway for ateganosine as third-line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

First and only direct telomere-targeting anticancer agent in clinical development anywhere

MAIA CEO details development pipeline in letter to shareholders

CHICAGO, Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE:MAIA) ("MAIA", the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing targeted immunotherapies for cancer, today published a 2026 Letter to Shareholders by Founder and CEO Vlad Vitoc, M.D. featuring the Company's strong momentum in clinical trials of its lead molecule, ateganosine, as a treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As a potential breakthrough therapy, ateganosine holds substantial commercial opportunity in a $50 billion global immunotherapy market.1

As stated in the Letter, Dr. Vitoc wrote, "Our development strategy intentionally targets the third-line (3L) NSCLC population, where the unmet need is urgent. No established standard of care exists in 3L treatment, with most oncologists currently treating 3L patients with chemotherapy, leading to particularly poor clinical outcomes. In clinical studies, ateganosine sequenced with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) has demonstrated outcomes that exceed those historically achieved with either CPI-based therapy or chemotherapy alone. These findings position ateganosine not as a competitor to CPIs, but as the foundation of a new treatment category designed specifically for advanced NSCLC following CPI and chemotherapy failure. By focusing on a third-line population with no defined standard of care, we are addressing an underserved group of approximately 50,000 patients annually in the United States and creating a differentiated, incremental revenue opportunity outside of the CPI market.