IMC-S118AI

October 15, 2026: Immunocore Holdings plc (NASDAQ: IMCR) announced the first patient was dosed in the first-in-human Phase 1 dose-escalation trial (NCT07493122) of IMC-S118AI for type 1 diabetes.

IMC-S118AI is Immunocore’s first autoimmune candidate and a bispecific designed to act in a tissue-specific manner in HLA-A02:01-positive patients with type 1 diabetes. The molecule binds a preproinsulin peptide presented by HLA-A02:01 on beta cells and includes a PD-1 agonist effector arm intended to suppress autoreactive T cells, with the goal of protecting beta cells, preserving insulin production, and maintaining beta cell mass.

The Phase 1 study will evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics, and clinical activity in HLA-A*02:01-positive type 1 diabetes patients. No clinical efficacy data were reported; the catalyst is trial initiation/first patient dosed.

The company also cited preclinical data published in Science Advances on April 1, 2026, showing that in live human pancreas tissue slices, including tissue from a recent-onset type 1 diabetes donor, IMC-S118AI selectively bound HLA-A*02:01-positive beta cells, suppressed autoreactive T-cell activity around islets, and helped protect beta cells and preserve insulin secretion.