Accepted Abstracts Highlight Advances in AI-Driven Oncology Pipeline
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV)(FSE: 7JO0), a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative cancer therapies through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drug discovery, is pleased to announce that two research abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the upcoming 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, taking place April 17-22 in San Diego, California.
The AACR Annual Meeting is a global forum for cancer research, where the world’s leading scientists, clinicians, and biotech innovators gather to unveil next-generation oncology breakthroughs. Rakovina’s acceptance to present highlights growing recognition for its work at the intersection of AI technology and precision cancer therapy.
From AI Design to Delivery: Advancing Novel DDR Therapies for Hard-to-Treat Cancers
Rakovina will present two abstracts at the meeting. The first abstract: A Novel Brain-Penetrant Dual ATR-mTOR Inhibitor for PTEN-Deficient Cancers, presents the use of the Enki™ generative AI platform to design first-in-class CNS-penetrating molecules that simultaneously inhibit ATR and mTOR, two key drivers of survival in PTEN-deficient cancer cells. PTEN deficiency is found in up to 40% of gliomas and up to 63% of breast cancers, which frequently metastasize to the brain, yet no approved therapy directly addresses this dual vulnerability. Using the Enki™ latent diffusion model to simultaneously optimize potency, selectivity, CNS penetrance, and ADMET properties in collaboration with Variational AI (Vancouver, BC), the team identified and synthesized promising dual inhibitor candidates, with data on efficacy and pharmacokinetics to be presented at the meeting.
Title: A novel brain-penetrant dual ATR-mTOR inhibitor for PTEN-deficient cancers
Date/Time: April 20, 2026 / 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session: DNA Damage and Repair 2
Abstract Number: 5034
The second abstract: Development of a Lipid Nanoparticle Formulation of the Bifunctional PARP and HDAC Inhibitor Kt-3283, presents preclinical development work on kt-3283, Rakovina's bifunctional compound that simultaneously inhibits PARP and HDAC enzymes, eliminating the need for combination drug regimens and their associated toxicity risks.
In vitro studies with kt-3283 have demonstrated highly potent anti-tumor activity across multiple tumor types, supporting its potential as a differentiated therapeutic candidate. This abstract presents a novel advancement: encapsulation of kt-3283 into patterned lipid nanoparticles (pLNPs) designed using the EnsaliX AI platform, developed in collaboration with NanoPalm (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). The pLNP/kt-3283 formulation is designed to enhance encapsulation efficiency, improve cell uptake, and optimize pharmacological performance to support clinical translation.
Title: Development of a lipid nanoparticle formulation of the bifunctional PARP and HDAC inhibitor kt-3283
Date/Time: April 21, 2026 / 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Session Category: Chemistry
Session: Drug Delivery
Abstract Number: 4665
"We are thrilled that for the second year in a row, we are presenting two abstracts at the AACR Annual Meeting, an important stage for cancer research,” said Kim Oishi, Chief Executive Officer of Rakovina Therapeutics. “These programs reflect the breadth and ambition of what our team is building. From improving how we deliver our molecules into the body, to designing entirely new inhibitors that can reach tumors in the brain, we are using AI to solve problems that have held back cancer drug development for years. We look forward to sharing our findings with the global oncology community in San Diego."
The company's integration of AI platforms allows the evaluation of billions of potential compounds at 100x the speed of traditional methods. These innovations are further supported by Rakovina's access to the University of British Columbia's state-of-the-art wet lab infrastructure, enabling rapid in-house testing and optimization.
"What makes these two programs particularly exciting is that they address cancer from two distinct but complementary angles, one focused on smarter delivery of a proven bifunctional compound, and one on designing entirely new molecules to reach tumors that current therapies simply cannot access," said Dr. Mads Daugaard, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Rakovina Therapeutics.
Rakovina is driving innovation in a space projected to reach $18 billion annually by 2030. The company's preclinical pipeline is focused on therapies that target DNA-repair vulnerabilities present in up to 75% of solid tumors, with an emphasis on hard-to-treat cancers such as breast, ovarian, prostate, and brain cancers. With AACR presentations underway in Q2, the Company is targeting several near-term milestones across its pipeline, including in vivo testing of its new LNP formulations under the kt-3000 program, advancement of a lead in the kt-5000AI program through iterative AI-driven compound refinement and initiation of pharma partnership discussions as pipeline data matures. Rakovina expects these catalysts to meaningfully de-risk its programs and support its path toward IND-enabling studies.
About Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.
Rakovina Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical research company focused on the development of innovative cancer treatments. Our work is based on unique technologies for targeting the DNA-damage response powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) using validated, proprietary platforms. By using AI, we can review and optimize drug candidates at a much greater pace than ever before.
The Company has established a pipeline of distinctive DNA-damage response inhibitors with the goal of advancing one or more drug candidates into human clinical trials in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners.
Further information may be found at http://www.rakovinatherapeutics.com.
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