Purple Biotech Ltd. announced the expansion of an existing research agreement, led by Menashe Bar-Eli, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and will evaluate the potential efficacy of the combination of NT219, a dual inhibitor, novel small molecule that simultaneously targets IRS1/2 and STAT3, and immuno-oncology drugs, such as anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1/PDL1 antibodies. Previous research conducted by Dr. Bar-Eli demonstrated that treatment of mice-bearing melanoma with early generation compounds of NT219 inhibited tumor growth and metastasis by blocking STAT3 and IGF1R/IRS signaling. The inhibition of downstream pro-angiogenic and pro-invasion factors in-vivo, such as VEGF, MMP-2 and IL-8, was shown, as well as the suppression of macrophage recruitment to the tumor microenvironment.