Improving the Odds: How LIXTE Biotechnology Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LIXT) Is Working to Make Cancer Therapies More Effective

• LIXTE’s lead compound, LB-100, targets PP2A, a central regulator of cancer cell survival and treatment resistance
• Clinical programs are designed to enhance existing immunotherapies and chemotherapies rather than replace them
• Multiple active trials across ovarian clear cell cancer, colon cancer, and soft tissue sarcoma support a platform approach

Despite decades of progress in oncology, many cancers remain resistant to treatment, not because therapies are unavailable, but because tumor cells adapt. Immunotherapies and chemotherapies can produce meaningful responses, yet durability and consistency remain challenges, particularly in aggressive or rare cancer subtypes. Increasingly, research is shifting toward approaches that improve how well existing treatments work, rather than introducing entirely new drugs.

That strategy defines LIXTE Biotechnology Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LIXT), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on enhancing established cancer therapies by targeting a fundamental biological pathway involved in tumor survival and resistance. Rather than developing standalone treatments, LIXTE is advancing a first-in-class approach designed to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and immunotherapy across multiple cancer indications.

Targeting PP2A: A Central Control Point

At the center of LIXTE’s strategy is protein phosphatase 2A, or PP2A, an enzyme that plays a critical role in regulating cell growth, DNA repair, and survival signaling. In many cancers, PP2A activity enables tumor cells to recover from the damage caused by treatment, contributing to resistance and disease progression.

LIXTE’s proprietary compound, LB-100, is a small-molecule PP2A inhibitor designed to temporarily disrupt these repair mechanisms at the moment when cancer cells are exposed to therapy. Preclinical research cited in the company’s presentation shows that this disruption can make tumor cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy and immunotherapy, increasing treatment effectiveness without introducing a new cytotoxic agent.

Importantly, LB-100 is not intended to act alone. Its role is to enhance existing treatments, aligning development with current standards of care and potentially simplifying clinical integration if efficacy is demonstrated.

A Safety Profile That Enables Combination Use

One of the key challenges in combination of oncology therapies is toxicity. According to LIXTE’s corporate materials, LB-100 has demonstrated a promising safety profile across two Phase 1 clinical trials, with doses associated with anti-cancer activity being well tolerated in patients.

The compound has also been supported by more than 25 published studies documenting anti-cancer activity across multiple tumor types. Manufacturing considerations are addressed through GMP production, and regulatory milestones include active IND status with the FDA and investigational approval in Europe.

This safety foundation is critical, as it allows LB-100 to be tested alongside immunotherapies and chemotherapies without compounding toxicity risk, a requirement for any enhancer-based oncology strategy.

Focus on Ovarian Clear Cell Cancer

LIXTE’s most advanced clinical program targets ovarian clear cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive subtype of ovarian cancer known for poor responses to standard treatments. The company is conducting a Phase 1b/2 trial combining LB-100 with dostarlimab, a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor.

The trial is sponsored by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, with GSK providing support for the immunotherapy component. A second site was added at Northwestern University’s Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, expanding enrollment capacity and geographic reach.

In December 2025, LIXTE announced plans to double enrollment from 21 to 42 patients, following successful completion of the initial cohort. Data from the first 21 patients is expected in the first half of 2026, representing a near-term clinical milestone.

Expanding Across Multiple Cancer Types

Beyond ovarian cancer, LIXTE is advancing additional clinical programs that apply the same PP2A-inhibition strategy across different tumor environments.

A metastatic MSI-low colon cancer trial is underway in collaboration with the Netherlands Cancer Institute and Roche, exploring whether LB-100 can convert immunologically “cold” tumors into ones that respond to immunotherapy. The trial design reflects preclinical findings that PP2A inhibition may increase neoantigen production and immune system engagement.

LIXTE has also completed enrollment in a Phase 1 study combining LB-100 with doxorubicin in advanced soft tissue sarcoma, a cancer with limited treatment advances over the past several decades. Results from this program are expected to provide additional insight into LB-100’s role alongside chemotherapy.

A Platform, Not a Single Asset

Taken together, LIXTE’s programs suggest a platform approach rather than a single-indication bet. Each trial tests the same biological hypothesis: that temporary PP2A inhibition can improve outcomes by weakening cancer cells’ defenses against therapy.

The company’s advisory network includes established oncology researchers and its clinical collaborations with institutions such as MD Anderson, Northwestern, and international cancer centers provide external validation of both the science and trial design.

Looking Ahead

LIXTE’s development path remains subject to the inherent risks of clinical-stage oncology, including trial outcomes and regulatory timelines. However, its focus on enhancing existing therapies positions the company within a growing segment of oncology research aimed at improving durability and response rather than reinventing treatment entirely.

As clinical data begins to emerge in 2026, those results will be central to determining whether PP2A inhibition can fulfill its promise as a broadly applicable enhancer across multiple cancer types.

For more information, visit the company website at https://lixte.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LIXT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://nnw.fm/LIXT

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