What MAIA Biotechnology does

MAIA Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing ateganosine (THIO, 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine), a first-in-class telomere-targeting agent for cancer. The company's lead indication is third-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), an area with no FDA-approved therapies and median survival of only 5.8 months under standard chemotherapy. Ateganosine operates via a dual mechanism: it induces telomerase-dependent telomeric DNA damage and selective cancer cell death, while simultaneously activating innate (cGAS/STING) and adaptive (T-cell) immune responses. The drug is administered sequentially with PD-(L)1 inhibitors (cemiplimab/Libtayo) to produce durable tumor regression. Phase 2 data has shown median overall survival of 17.8 months in heavily pre-treated NSCLC patients, with some patients exceeding 33 months survival.

The company runs two active clinical programs: THIO-101, an open-label Phase 2 dose-finding trial that expanded into U.S. sites in 2026 after completing Part C enrollment across Taiwan, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Georgia; and THIO-104, a pivotal randomized Phase 3 trial designed to support regulatory approval with median overall survival as its primary endpoint, in which the first patient was dosed in December 2025. Ateganosine has received FDA Fast Track designation, enabling potential Accelerated Approval and Priority Review pathways. The company also maintains a preclinical pipeline of second-generation telomere-targeting agents. The firm is incorporated in Delaware, headquartered in Chicago, and trades on NYSE American under ticker MAIA.

MAIA has no commercial revenue and operates as a pre-revenue biotech funded entirely through equity issuances and grants. Since 2021, the company has raised over $60 million across convertible notes, private placements, registered direct offerings, and underwritten public offerings, including a $30 million underwritten public offering in March 2026 led by Konik Capital Partners. It also received a $2.3 million NIH grant in September 2025 to expand the THIO-101 trial in the U.S. The company's go-to-market approach is regulatory-led: it targets FDA approval via Fast Track and Accelerated Approval pathways, with future distribution intended through specialty pharmacies and oncology treatment centers. Its primary customer segment—upon any potential approval—would be advanced NSCLC patients who have exhausted checkpoint inhibitor and chemotherapy options.

Name

MAIA Biotechnology

Legal name

MAIA Biotechnology, Inc.

Website

https://maiabiotech.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MAIA Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing ateganosine (THIO), a first-in-class telomere-targeting immunotherapy for third-line non-small cell lung cancer, currently advancing a pivotal Phase 3 trial toward FDA approval.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology Gene Therapies (incl. oncolytic vectors & gene-modified approaches) (HLAAACAF)

Keywords

• Telomere targeting immunotherapy
• Cancer drug development
• Clinical stage biopharmaceutical
• Immuno oncology therapy
• Non-small cell lung cancer

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Equity Offerings: MAIA Biotechnology, as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has no commercial revenue. The company has raised capital through underwritten public offerings and private placements of common stock and warrants to fund clinical trials and operations.
2. Government Grants: The company received a $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand its Phase 2 clinical trial of ateganosine for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MAIA Biotechnology is developing ateganosine (THIO), a first-in-class investigational telomere-targeting immunotherapeutic agent administered sequentially with PD-(L)1 inhibitors such as cemiplimab (Libtayo) for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The dual-mechanism therapy induces telomerase-dependent telomeric DNA damage and activates both innate (cGAS/STING) and adaptive (T-cell) immune responses. The company is currently advancing the candidate through a Phase 2 expansion trial (THIO-101) and a pivotal Phase 3 trial (THIO-104) under FDA Fast Track designation for third-line NSCLC, with second-generation telomere targeting programs in preclinical development.

Product overview

MAIA Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a focused pipeline of targeted immunotherapies for cancer. The company's core product is ateganosine (THIO), a first-in-class telomere-targeting agent currently in Phase 2 (THIO-101) and Phase 3 (THIO-104) clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer. The therapy is administered sequentially with checkpoint inhibitors (cemiplimab/Libtayo) and works through a dual mechanism of telomere disruption and immune activation. The company also maintains second-generation telomere targeting programs in preclinical development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ateganosine (THIO) A first-in-class investigational telomere-targeting agent (6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine / 6-thio-dG) in clinical development for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The modified nucleotide induces telomerase-dependent telomeric DNA modification, DNA damage responses, and selective cancer cell death while activating innate (cGAS/STING) and adaptive (T-cell) immune responses. It is administered sequentially with PD-(L)1 inhibitors such as cemiplimab (Libtayo) and is the company's core drug candidate under FDA Fast Track designation for third-line NSCLC.
• Second-Generation Telomere Targeting Programs A pipeline of second-generation telomere targeting agents in preclinical development, designed to build on the ateganosine platform and extend the company's telomere-based immunotherapy approach to additional cancer indications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Median overall survival of 17.8 months in Phase 2 THIO-101 trial versus 5.8 months for standard chemotherapy in heavily pre-treated NSCLC patients
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Winship Cancer Institute of Emory UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Georgia's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, activated as a clinical trial site for the Phase 2 THIO-101 expansion trial. The institution is recognized at the forefront of cancer innovation and offers a renowned thoracic oncology clinical research program.
• Central Alabama ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Central Alabama Research in Homewood, Alabama activated as the second U.S. clinical site for the Phase 2 THIO-101 expansion trial, evaluating ateganosine as third-line treatment for NSCLC patients who have failed checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy.
• Summit Medical GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Summit Medical Group in New Jersey activated as the first U.S. clinical trial site for the Phase 2 expansion of ateganosine treatment for advanced NSCLC.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cardiff Oncology: Small-cap clinical-stage oncology company developing targeted therapies for solid tumors. Similar profile to MAIA as a publicly traded micro-cap with a single lead clinical asset advancing through mid-stage trials.
• Marker Therapeutics: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing T cell-based therapies for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Comparable as a small-cap public biotech focused on next-generation cancer immunotherapy.
• Bolt Biotherapeutics: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing immune-stimulating antibody conjugates (ISACs). Comparable as a small-cap public biotech with a novel immunotherapy mechanism in oncology clinical development.
• Werewolf Therapeutics: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing PREDATOR platform for tumor-selective immune activation. Directly comparable as a small-cap public biotech with novel immunomodulatory oncology mechanisms.
• Compugen: Clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company leveraging computational discovery to develop novel immuno-oncology targets. Comparable as a small-cap public biotech focused on novel immune-based cancer therapies.
• Surface Oncology: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing next-generation antibody immunotherapies targeting the tumor microenvironment. Comparable as a small-cap public biotech with oncology immunotherapy focus.
• Cogent Biosciences: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision therapies for genetically defined diseases including oncology indications. Comparable as a small-cap public biotech with focused oncology clinical pipeline.
• Cullinan Oncology: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a diversified pipeline of targeted oncology therapies. Comparable small-cap public biotech with oncology focus and similar clinical-stage profile.

Broad incumbents

• AstraZeneca: Global pharmaceutical company with major NSCLC franchise including Tagrisso and Imfinzi checkpoint inhibitor. Competitor in 3L NSCLC space and key player in the combination immunotherapy landscape that MAIA's ateganosine would complement or compete against.
• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Major biopharmaceutical company developing Libtayo (cemiplimab), the PD-1 inhibitor used in MAIA's combination regimen. Relevant as a combination partner incumbent and broader oncology competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maiabiotech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maiabiotech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds18 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MAIA Biotechnology