Immutep’s Breakthrough LAG-3 Agonist IMP761 Selected for Late-Breaking Presentation at ACR Convergence 2026
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Clinical-stage biotechnology firm Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) has announced that a late-breaking abstract detailing the results of its first-in-human Phase I study of IMP761 has been accepted for presentation at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2026. The prestigious medical meeting, which brings together top rheumatology researchers and clinicians from around the globe, is set to take place in Orlando, Florida, from November 6 to 11.
IMP761 represents a significant milestone in immunology as the world’s first-in-class immunosuppressive Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3) agonist antibody. While many therapies focus on stimulating the immune system to fight cancer, Immutep’s candidate takes the opposite approach: it is specifically engineered to suppress pathological, overactive immune responses that drive autoimmune diseases.
The upcoming presentation, scheduled for November 10, will highlight data from the Phase I randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial (NCT06637865). Conducted by the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR) in the Netherlands, the study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the drug in healthy volunteers using a sophisticated “keyhole limpet haemocyanin” (KLH) challenge model. This model allows researchers to observe how the drug modulates the immune system’s reaction to a foreign antigen in a controlled environment.
“IMP761 is a novel immunosuppressive LAG-3 agonist antibody and currently the only one of its kind in clinical development,” the company noted in its announcement. By selectively targeting activated T cells at the specific sites of inflammation, the drug aims to quell damaging immune responses without compromising the body’s essential, systemic immune defenses—a “holy grail” for treating chronic inflammatory conditions.
Christian Mueller, Immutep’s Chief Development Officer, is slated to present the findings during the late-breaking abstract poster session. This follows the initial release of interim data presented earlier this year at the EULAR 2026 Congress in June.
Immutep, which has pioneered the study of the LAG-3 pathway, sees this as a crucial step forward in establishing a new class of “mechanism-based” therapies. Beyond the initial Phase I data, the company is positioning IMP761 to address a wide array of T-cell-mediated autoimmune disorders. Preclinical research, previously published in the Journal of Immunology and Pediatric Research, has already underscored the drug’s potential in managing conditions such as oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
As the scientific community awaits the full data set in November, the selection of this study as a late-breaking presentation signals high interest in Immutep’s approach to precision immunotherapy. Once presented at the conference, the poster and its findings will be made accessible to the public via the company’s website.
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