Telomir Pharmaceuticals announces preclinical cancer data on Telomir-1

Telomir Pharmaceuticals (TELO) announced new preclinical cancer data showing that Telomir-1 reverses DNA methylation of CDKN2A, a master tumor suppressor gene silenced in many aggressive cancers. CDKN2A is one of the body’s most important natural defenses against cancer. Often called the “cell cycle brake,” this gene tells cells when to stop dividing and helps damaged cells self-destruct. In many cancers, CDKN2A is switched off by abnormal DNA methylation, leaving tumors free to grow unchecked. By resetting this methylation, Telomir-1 appears to turn the brake back on – restoring a critical safeguard that cancer cells had disabled. DNA methylation is a key epigenetic process that controls whether genes are switched on or off. In healthy cells, methylation helps regulate normal development and repair. In cancer, however, abnormal DNA methylation can silence critical tumor suppressor genes like CDKN2A and STAT1, allowing tumors to grow unchecked and evade the immune system. Similarly, widespread changes in DNA methylation patterns are recognized as one of the hallmarks of aging, contributing to the loss of cellular function and the onset of age-related diseases. By demonstrating the ability to reduce DNA methylation of these important targets, Telomir-1 is showing potential to directly address these fundamental biological processes. This positions Telomir-1 not only as a novel oncology candidate, but also as a potential first-in-class longevity drug candidate targeting the root causes of aging and disease. In aggressive human prostate cancer cell models (PC3 xenografts), Telomir-1 inhibited CDKN2A DNA methylation more effectively than both Rapamycin and chemotherapy. These results complement Telomir’s previously reported data showing that Telomir-1 also resets STAT1, a master regulator of immune surveillance. Together, these findings suggest that Telomir-1 may broadly reverse cancer-induced silencing of key tumor suppressors – tackling two of cancer’s most fundamental escape mechanisms: unchecked growth and immune evasion. Telomir is actively assessing Telomir-1 across multiple aggressive cancers beyond prostate, with additional studies underway. The company’s pre-IND program is running in full gear, with CMC activities scaling up toward GMP production and IND-enabling studies ongoing as Telomir moves toward its first IND submission.