Rznomics to present RNA-editing cancer therapy data at AACR 2026

Rznomics will unveil key findings from its anticancer gene therapy research at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, set for April 17 to 22 in San Diego, California.

AACR is recognized as one of the world's top three cancer conferences alongside the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). It is an international event attended by research institutions worldwide and pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including major global drugmakers.

(Courtesy of Rznomics)

Rznomics will present interim results of its gene therapy candidate RZ-001 for liver cancer. The company will share the first clinical proof-of-concept data for its RNA-editing therapy.

Through this presentation, Rznomics aims to demonstrate the clinical efficacy and safety of its RNA-editing enzyme technology and advance global commercialization efforts, the company said.

Its flagship pipeline, RZ-001, is an anticancer gene therapy targeting telomerase mRNA, which is expressed in over 80 percent of cancer cells. It induces cancer cell death and immune cell infiltration, thereby enhancing the response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors through multiple mechanisms, the company said.

The therapy has received approval for clinical trial plans from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and the U.S. FDA. For hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the U.S. FDA has granted Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations.

Rznomics is currently conducting a phase 1b/2a clinical trial combining RZ-001 with immunotherapy in patients with liver cancer, with patient recruitment and dosing underway at nine institutions in Korea.

The combination drugs, atezolizumab and bevacizumab, are representative therapies used in over 70 percent of cases as first-line treatment for advanced HCC. However, the response rate to standard therapy is known to be only about 20–30 percent. If improved response rates are demonstrated with the RZ-001 combination, the therapy may offer significant synergistic potential, the company said.

Since RZ-001 targets telomerase mRNA, which is present in many cancer types, the therapy may have potential applications across multiple cancers.

“We are pleased to present clinical proof-of-concept data for our RNA-editing therapy at an international conference,” a company official said. “Following this AACR presentation, we aim to accelerate the development of transformative treatments for difficult-to-treat diseases and improve patient outcomes globally.”