Dover, DE, Oct. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AlphaTON Capital Corp (Nasdaq: ATON) and its wholly owned oncology-focused subsidiary Tarus Therapeutics, LLC, operating as Cyncado Therapeutics, today announced that a new poster is live at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Boston. The work, conducted with investigators from the Italian Group for Mesothelioma (G.I.Me) and collaborators, provides the first evidence that selective adenosine A2B receptor inhibition exerts a direct anti-tumor effect in both epithelial and non-epithelial mesothelioma cells, decreases in pCREB with an associated reduction in PD-L1 expression, and modulates YAP signaling consistent with proteomic shifts, alongside immune-mediated growth inhibition.
These findings reinforce earlier preclinical results with Cyncado’s selective A2B receptor antagonist TT-4 in mesothelioma, where monotherapy activity exceeded anti-PD-1 and the combination with anti-PD-1 further improved tumor control, accompanied by increased immune infiltration and tertiary lymphoid structures. The new mechanistic data help explain the previously observed efficacy profile and support translation into first-in-human evaluation.
In human mesothelioma spheroid systems, hypoxia-linked adenosine signaling increased tumor growth and PD-L1 expression. Selective A2B receptor inhibition reduced cell growth and lowered PD-L1 protein through reduced CREB phosphorylation (pCREB). In murine models, TT-4 blocked NECA-induced pCREB activation and growth stimulation in AB1 and AB22 mesothelioma cells. In vivo, TT-4 demonstrated meaningful monotherapy activity in an immunocompetent mesothelioma model, and combination treatment with anti-PD-1 further increased tumor growth inhibition, with immunohistochemistry showing higher T-cell infiltration.
“Mesothelioma is a hypoxic, adenosine-rich disease, and these data add a clear tumor-intrinsic mechanism to the case for targeting the A2B receptor,” said Rob Kramer, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Cyncado Therapeutics. “We are advancing TT-4 toward first-patient dosing in Q1 2026 to translate these signals clinically.”
“AlphaTON focuses on programs where biology and translational markers converge,” said Brittany Kaiser, Chief Executive Officer of AlphaTON Capital. “This first-evidence package strengthens our conviction in TT-4 for mesothelioma and informs how we prioritize resources to reach proof of concept in patients.”
Clinical program status
• TT-10 (A2A receptor antagonist): Phase 1 dose escalation is ongoing in advanced solid tumors.
• TT-4 (A2B receptor antagonist): IND-enabled program preparing for first-patient dosing in Q1 2026.
AACR-NCI-EORTC Poster details
Title: ADORA2B inhibition in Mesothelioma (MMe) cells affects PD-L1 expression and exerts an effective response on AKT signaling and anti-tumor immune response
Session: Poster Session C
Date and time: Today, Saturday, October 25, 2025, 12:30–4:00 pm
Presenting group: G.I.Me with collaborators from University of L’Aquila, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, St. James’s Hospital Dublin, and Cyncado Therapeutics
About AlphaTON Capital Corp
AlphaTON Capital is a specialized digital asset treasury company focused on building and managing a strategic reserve of TON tokens and developing the Telegram ecosystem. The Company implements a comprehensive treasury strategy that combines direct token acquisition, validator operations, and strategic ecosystem investments to generate sustainable returns for shareholders. Through its operations, AlphaTON Capital provides public market investors with institutional-grade exposure to the TON ecosystem and Telegram’s billion user platform while maintaining the governance standards and reporting transparency of a Nasdaq-listed company.
Led by Chief Executive Officer Brittany Kaiser and Chief Investment Officer, Enzo Villani, the company’s activities span network validation and staking operations, development of Telegram-based applications, and potential strategic investments in TON-based decentralized finance protocols, gaming platforms, and business applications. AlphaTON Capital Corp is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ATON.
AlphaTON Capital, through its legacy business, is also advancing potentially first-in-class therapies that target known checkpoint resistance pathways to potentially achieve durable treatment response and improve quality of life for patients. AlphaTON Capital actively engages in the drug development process and provides strategic counsel to guide development of novel immunotherapy assets and asset combinations.
About Cyncado Therapeutics
Tarus Therapeutics, LLC (operating as Cyncado Therapeutics), a clinical stage, wholly owned subsidiary of AlphaTON Capital Corp, is developing potentially best-in-class small molecule adenosine receptor antagonists targeting A2A and A2B receptors to overcome immune suppression in oncology. The Company’s lead program, TT-4, is an oral, ultra-selective A2B receptor antagonist with an initial focus on mesothelioma, advancing toward first-patient dosing in Q1 2026. Cyncado is also developing dual-antagonist strategies designed to achieve comprehensive blockade of adenosine-mediated immune evasion, potentially unlocking synergistic anti-tumor effects and durable patient responses.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the Company’s business strategy, plans and objectives, future operations, clinical development timelines, TON ecosystem growth, therapeutic development outcomes, regulatory approvals, and statements preceded by, followed by, or including words such as “believe,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “will,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “targets,” or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: regarding clinical trial outcomes and regulatory approvals; uncertainty of the Company’s investment in TON and digital assets; regulatory and legal risks associated with digital assets; risks related to Telegram’s platform and the TON ecosystem; market volatility; competitive risks in both digital assets and therapeutics development; and other factors described in “Item 3 – Key Information-Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2025, and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Contact Information
Investor Relations
AlphaTON Capital Corp
AlphaTON@icrinc.com
(203) 682-8200
Media Inquiries
Richard Laermer
RLM PR
AlphaTON@rlmpr.com
(212) 741-5106 X 216
