Agenus Reports 72% of Patients with Locally Advanced dMMR Colon Cancer Had No Cancer Remaining at Surgery Following Six Weeks of BOT+BAL in Phase 2 NEOASIS Study at ESMO 2026

Myriam Chalabi, MD, PhD; principal investigator of the NEOASIS study at the Netherlands Cancer Institute

“Nearly three out of four patients with locally advanced disease, had no cancer remaining at surgery after a single dose of botensilimab and two doses of balstilimab”

Myriam Chalabi, MD, PhD; principal investigator of the NEOASIS study at the Netherlands Cancer Institute

“These dMMR colon cancer results build on the responses we first reported across multiple tumor types in NEOASIS and support continued investigation of BOT+BAL before surgery. Our ongoing rectal cancer cohort is exploring whether deep responses like these, with a short duration of neoadjuvant BOT+BAL, can allow selected patients to preserve their organs and quality of life without compromising cancer outcomes.”

Steven J. O’Day, MD; Chief Medical Officer of Agenus

“These results show how much a short course of BOT+BAL can accomplish before surgery, even in patients whose cancer had already grown through the bowel wall or reached the lymph nodes”

Steven J. O’Day, MD; Chief Medical Officer of Agenus

“Treating while the tumor and lymph nodes are still intact gives the immune system its best opportunity to eliminate the cancer. Our goal is a future where patients are treated for weeks rather than months, with less chemotherapy, a lower risk of recurrence and increase the more patients who may ultimately be cured.”