Agenus Reports 48% Estimated Three-Year Survival With BOT+BAL in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer at IGCS 2026
3.10.2026 16:50:00 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Survival estimate remained at 48% between years two and three, extending evidence of durable benefitResults observed in heavily pretreated, difficult-to-treat population that received a median of four prior lines of therapy; nearly three-quarters of patients had platinum-resistant or refractory cancer
Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq: AGEN), a leader in immuno-oncology innovation, today announced three-year follow-up results from the ovarian cancer cohort of its 400+ patient Phase 1b C-800-01 trial. The study evaluated botensilimab (BOT), Agenus’ multifunctional, Fc-enhanced anti-CTLA-4 antibody, in combination with balstilimab (BAL), Agenus’ anti-PD-1 antibody. The results, including three-year survival and outcomes by sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy and by prior treatment, were presented at the 2026 International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) Annual Global Meeting in Montréal, Canada.
Among patients evaluable for efficacy, three-year overall survival was 48% (n=35), unchanged from the two-year estimate, suggesting durable clinical benefit in this population. Responses and long-term survival were observed in both platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant or refractory disease. At the last follow-up, 25% of patients who received at least one dose of treatment (11 of 44) were alive and off all therapy.
These results come from a population with substantial prior treatment. Patients had received a median of four prior lines of therapy, and 66% had received at least four. All had previously received platinum chemotherapy, 77% had received bevacizumab and 57% had received a PARP inhibitor. Nearly three-quarters had platinum-resistant or refractory disease, meaning their cancer had progressed during platinum treatment or returned within six months of it.
“In recurrent ovarian cancer, conventional checkpoint immunotherapy has rarely produced lasting benefit, particularly after the disease stops responding to platinum chemotherapy,” said Rebecca L. Porter, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who presented the data. “What stands out with longer follow-up is the survival plateau in patients who had already received multiple treatments. That pattern suggests that a different approach to activating the immune system may offer some patients lasting benefit, even when treatment options have narrowed.”
Three-year follow-up findings
Overall efficacy results (n=35)
- Overall survival (OS): Estimated survival was 48% at both two and three years. Median OS was 14.8 months.
- Objective response rate (ORR): 23% of patients (8/35) had a response, including one complete response and seven partial responses.
- Duration of response: Responses lasted a median of 9.7 months.
- Clinical benefit: 31% of patients (11/35) had a response or stable disease lasting at least 24 weeks.
- Alive and off treatment: At last follow-up, 25% (11 of all 44 patients who received at least one dose of treatment) were alive and off all therapy.
Results by patient subgroup
- Platinum-resistant or refractory disease (n=25): Estimated three-year survival was 47%. ORR was 20% (5/25), including one complete and four partial responses.
- Platinum-sensitive disease (n=10): Estimated three-year survival was 45%. Thirty percent (3/10) of patients had a partial response.
- Four or more prior lines of therapy (n=23): Estimated three-year survival was 48%. ORR was 17% (4/23),with all four responses being partial responses.
- Disease progression on a PARP inhibitor (n=17): In patients whose cancer had progressed during PARP inhibitor treatment or maintenance, estimated three-year survival was 61%. Two patients (12%) had partial responses.
Safety remained consistent with the known BOT+BAL profile. No new safety signals or treatment-related deaths were reported.
“The most compelling finding is that the survival curve extends beyond two years in women who had already received multiple treatments, including those with platinum-resistant or refractory disease,” said Steven J. O’Day, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Agenus. “We have seen a similar pattern of durable survival in other difficult-to-treat cancers studied with BOT+BAL. This three-year ovarian update strengthens our conviction that the combination can deliver meaningful, lasting benefit to a subset of patients who have had few effective immunotherapy options.”
The three-year ovarian results add to a pattern of long-term survival across difficult-to-treat cancers studied with BOT+BAL. In the broader 400+ patient Phase 1b pan-tumor analysis, estimated two-year survival was 39%. In a separate cohort of patients with refractory MSS metastatic colorectal cancer without active liver metastases, estimated survival was 41% at two years and 33% at three years. These findings are particularly notable in cancers where conventional immunotherapy has historically offered limited benefit.
The consistent and durable BOT+BAL activity in heavily pretreated cancers that are poorly immunogenic or resistant to prior immunotherapy, reinforced by deep pathologic responses in neoadjuvant studies, strengthens the rationale for moving treatment earlier in the course of disease. Before surgery, when the primary tumor and surrounding lymph nodes remain intact, BOT+BAL may have the greatest opportunity to generate lasting antitumor immunity, reduce recurrence and ultimately increase the number of patients who may be cured.
The full presentation can be found on the publications section of the Agenus website at www.agenusbio.com/publications.
BOT and BAL are in development and have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Presentation details
Abstract Title: Next Generation Immune Checkpoint Inhibition with Botensilimab Plus Balstilimab in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: Results by Platinum Sensitivity Status and 3-Year Overall Survival
Presenter: Rebecca L. Porter, MD; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
Poster Presentation number: 969
Session Title: Poster Rounds with Professors Session, Ovarian Cancer 03 Session
Date/Time:Saturday, October 3, 2026 | 10:50am-10:55am EDT
About the C-800-01 Study
C-800-01 (NCT03860272) is a multicenter Phase 1b trial evaluating BOT with or without BAL in advanced solid tumors. The ovarian cancer cohort included patients with recurrent disease for whom no standard therapy was available or whose cancer had progressed after standard treatment. The efficacy analysis included 35 patients who had at least one tumor scan after starting therapy. The safety population included all 44 patients who received treatment. The data cutoff for this analysis was December 13, 2025.
About Agenus
Agenus is a leading immuno-oncology company targeting cancer with a comprehensive pipeline of immunological agents. The company was founded in 1994 with a mission to expand patient populations benefiting from cancer immunotherapy through combination approaches, using a broad repertoire of antibody therapeutics, adoptive cell therapies (through MiNK Therapeutics) and adjuvants. Agenus has robust end-to-end development capabilities, across commercial and clinical cGMP manufacturing facilities, research and discovery, and a global clinical operations footprint. Agenus is headquartered in Lexington, MA. For more information, visit www.agenusbio.com or @agenus_bio. Information that may be important to investors will be routinely posted on our website and social media channels.
Agenus’ Commitment to Patient Access
Until marketing authorization is granted, BOT+BAL is accessible only through clinical trials and authorized early access mechanisms where permitted and available under each country’s regulatory framework. For eligible French patients treated in hospitals under AAC and meeting the predefined criteria, BOT+BAL is fully reimbursed by France’s national health system. Outside France, access may be available in select countries through paid named-patient programs, which may involve out-of-pocket costs to the patient or coverage under applicable national or private reimbursement arrangements. These programs are physician-driven and are not promotional.
About Botensilimab (BOT)
Botensilimab (BOT) is a human multifunctional, Fc-enhanced anti-CTLA-4 antibody designed to boost both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Its novel design leverages mechanisms of action to extend immunotherapy benefits to “cold” tumors which generally respond poorly to standard of care or are refractory to conventional PD-1/CTLA-4 therapies and investigational therapies. BOT augments immune responses across a wide range of tumor types by priming and activating T cells, reducing intratumoral regulatory T cells, activating myeloid cells and inducing durable memory responses.
Approximately 1,500 patients have been treated with BOT and balstilimab (BAL) in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. The combination with Agenus’ investigational PD-1 antibody, BAL, has shown clinical responses across more than nine cancers. For more information about BOT trials, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Balstilimab (BAL)
Balstilimab is a novel, fully human monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) designed to block PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) from interacting with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. It has been evaluated in more than 900 patients to date and has demonstrated clinical activity and a favorable tolerability profile in several tumor types.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding its botensilimab and balstilimab programs, expected regulatory timelines and filings, and any other statements containing the words "may," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "hopes," "intends," "plans," "forecasts," "estimates," "will," “establish,” “potential,” “superiority,” “best in class,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the factors described under the Risk Factors section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2025, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Agenus cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Agenus undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements, other than to the extent required by law. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261003256338/en/
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Abu Dhabi Launches TAMM Global to Bring Its AI-Native Government Platform to the World16.10.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Abu Dhabi has launched TAMM Global, a private technology company established to make the award-winning technology behind TAMM available to governments worldwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261016490320/en/ Abu Dhabi Launches TAMM Global to Bring Its AI-Native Government Platform to the World (Photo: AETOSWire) It is the first time the AI-powered platform, which serves 4.7 million users and is recognized as one of the world’s most advanced digital government platforms, will be available for international licensing and deployment. The launch marks a significant milestone in Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become the world’s first AI-native government. It reflects growing international demand for proven technologies that can accelerate digital transformation while protecting sovereignty, regulatory compliance and public trust. It also demonstrates how homegrown innovation and intellectual property are creating oppor
TestMu AI Brings Real Device Testing to Kane CLI, Letting Developers Test Mobile Apps on Real Phones From Any Terminal16.10.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Plain-English mobile tests now run on real Android and iOS devices in the TestMu AI cloud from any Mac, Windows, or Linux machine, with a live view of the device on the developer's laptop TestMu AI (formerly LambdaTest), the Full Stack Agentic AI Quality Engineering platform, announced real device support in Kane CLI. Developers can now test a mobile app on a real phone or tablet in the TestMu AI cloud straight from the terminal: they type what to test in plain English, and Kane taps through the app on a real Android or iOS device. Until now, testing a mobile app on real hardware meant keeping a drawer of phones, or a separate device farm outside the developer's workflow. With real device support, Kane CLI removes that dependency again now by giving terminal-first access to the real device cloud. Kane CLI on real devices gives teams: Real Android and iOS devices from any terminal. Kane CLI opens a real device in the TestMu AI cloud and taps through the app from natural language prompts
METI and GX Acceleration Agency will hold GGX Finance Summit 202616.10.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
On Monday, October 26th, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and GX Acceleration Agency will hold the GGX (Global GX) Finance Summit at Tokyo Prince Hotel and online. The Summit will advance discussions on transition finance, industry decarbonization, and the role of business and finance in driving decarbonization. It will also promote cooperation among government, industry, and the financial sector, and lead international rulemaking toward achieving both emission reductions and economic growth. Outline of GGX Finance Summit Date: October 26th, 2026 10:00 - 16:20 (JST, GMT+9:00) Venue: Tokyo Prince Hotel (Tokyo) (3-3-1 Shiba-Koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8560, Japan) Organizer: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), GX Acceleration Agency Co-organizer: GX Future Consortium Format: Hybrid (On-site and on-line) Language: Japanese/English (with English/Japanese simultaneous interpretation) Press Registration Please complete your registration by accessing the official
Dubai Culture: Dubai Ranks First Globally in Attracting New FDI Projects in Cultural and Creative Industries in 202516.10.2026 13:32:00 CEST | Press release
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority has revealed that Dubai retained its position as the world’s leading destination for new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in 2025, ranking first globally for the fourth consecutive year. According to data from the Financial Times’ fDi Markets, a leading source of greenfield FDI intelligence, Dubai topped the ranking of 233 cities, ahead of London, Singapore, Riyadh and Bengaluru. The results reflect the strength of the emirate’s investment environment and its appeal to creative businesses, investors, entrepreneurs and talent from around the world. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261016681830/en/ Dubai Culture: Dubai ranks first globally in attracting new FDI projects in cultural and creative industries in 2025 (Graphic: AETOSWire) In 2025, Dubai attracted 754 new projects in the cultural and creative industries, with greenf
Horizon3 and Pax8 Expand Partnership to Bring Autonomous Security Testing to MSPs Across Europe16.10.2026 08:03:00 CEST | Press release
NodeZero® gives partners a repeatable way to identify exploitable attack paths, guide remediation, and prove fixes worked Horizon3, the AI-Native Proactive Security Company, today announced the expansion of its Pax8 partnership across Europe, bringing the NodeZero® Proactive Security Platform to the region’s managed service providers (MSPs) through the Pax8 Marketplace. The expansion enables partners to build recurring security services that help small and midsized businesses understand how attackers could compromise their environments, prioritize corrective actions, and verify remediation. Building on the companies’ North American marketplace launch, the European expansion makes autonomous offensive security testing accessible to more MSPs and the businesses they protect. Partners can use NodeZero to deliver initial assessments, support remediation engagements, and establish ongoing testing programs without conducting every penetration test manually. “MSPs are accountable for protecti
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom