Published study in Cancers highlights therapeutic potential of targeting microRNA-10b in bone metastasis with TransCode's lead therapeutic candidate
BOSTON, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TransCode Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNAZ), a clinical stage company pioneering immuno-oncology and RNA-based therapeutics for the treatment of high risk and advanced cancers, today announced the publication of a peer-reviewed article in Cancers titled, "Targeting miR-10b in Breast Cancer Bone Colonization Model Using Image-Guided Nucleic Acid-Based Therapeutics." The study reports that TransCode's lead therapeutic candidate, TTX-MC138, produced significant survival benefits in a preclinical model of breast cancer bone metastasis while demonstrating favorable tolerability and no observed systemic toxicity.
The publication builds on a growing body of evidence supporting microRNA-10b (miR-10b) as an important driver of cancer metastasis and further validates TransCode's therapeutic approach of inhibiting miR-10b using proprietary oligonucleotide nanotechnology.
The study was led by Dr. Anna Moore, Professor in the Radiology and Physiology Departments, Director of the Precision Health Program and Associate Dean for Research Development at the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University. Dr. Moore is a co-founder of TransCode Therapeutics and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, and a globally recognized expert in molecular imaging and RNA-targeted cancer therapeutics.
"Metastatic disease remains responsible for the overwhelming majority of cancer deaths, and effective therapies specifically designed to target metastasis remain limited," said Zdravka Medarova, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of TransCode Therapeutics and co-author of the publication. "These findings demonstrate that miR-10b inhibition can significantly impact survival in a challenging model of metastatic cancer and further support the potential applicability of our platform across multiple metastatic tumor types."
Key Findings
Among the study's findings:
- TTX-MC138 successfully accumulated in metastatic bone lesions in a mouse model of bone cancer bone metastasis following systemic administration.
- Treatment significantly reduced expression of miR-10b, a microRNA implicated in metastatic progression, and increased expression of HOXD10, a downstream tumor-suppressor target.
- Animals treated with anti-miR-10b therapeutics demonstrated significant survival benefits compared with controls.
- Repeated dosing was well tolerated, with no evidence of systemic toxicity observed during the study.
- The results support the use of image-guided anti-miR-10b nanotherapeutics as a potentially translatable strategy for treating metastatic cancer.
Bone is the most common site of metastatic spread in breast cancer and represents a major unmet medical need, with patients experiencing substantial morbidity and poor long-term outcomes. The authors concluded that targeting miR-10b using an image-guided anti-miR-10b nanotherapeutic represents a promising and translatable strategy for treating breast cancer bone metastases.
Relevance to TransCode's Clinical Program
While TransCode's current clinical development efforts are focused on metastatic cancers and its ongoing TTX-MC138 program in molecular residual disease-positive colorectal cancer, the newly published findings suggest potential future applicability of miR-10b inhibition across additional metastatic disease settings where tumor spread drives poor outcomes.
The article was published online on August 23, 2026, in Cancers, a peer-reviewed oncology journal.
About TTX-MC138
TTX-MC138 is a first-in-class therapeutic candidate designed to inhibit microRNA-10b, or miR-10b, a microRNA widely believed to be critical to the emergence and progression of many metastatic cancers. TransCode's Phase 1a first-in-human clinical trial achieved its primary safety endpoint and established a recommended Phase 2 dose, as announced at ESMO 2025.
About TransCode Therapeutics
TransCode Therapeutics is a clinical stage company pioneering immuno-oncology and RNA therapeutic treatments for high risk and advanced cancers. The company's lead therapeutic candidate, TTX-MC138, is focused on treating metastatic tumors that overexpress microRNA-10b, a unique, well-documented biomarker of metastasis. In addition, TransCode has a portfolio of other first-in-class therapeutic candidates designed to mobilize the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. For more information, visit www.transcodetherapeutics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements concerning the potential significance of the preclinical findings described in the publication and the therapeutic potential of targeting microRNA-10b with TTX-MC138 across multiple metastatic tumor types. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with drug discovery and development; the risk that the results of clinical trials will not be consistent with TransCode's preclinical studies or expectations or with results from previous clinical trials; risks associated with the conduct of clinical trials; risks associated with TransCode's financial condition and its need to obtain additional funding to support its business activities, including TransCode's ability to continue as a going concern; risks associated with the timing and outcome of TransCode's planned regulatory submissions; risks associated with obtaining, maintaining and protecting intellectual property; risks associated with TransCode's ability to enforce its patents against infringers and defend its patent portfolio against challenges from third parties; risks of competition from other companies developing products for similar uses; risks associated with TransCode's dependence on third parties; and risks associated with geopolitical events and pandemics. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause TransCode's actual results to differ from those contained in or implied by the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in TransCode's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors in any subsequent TransCode filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this release; TransCode undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.
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SOURCE TransCode Therapeutics, Inc.
