JERUSALEM, Israel — May 5, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. (Nasdaq: DRTS, DRTSW) announced that an abstract detailing a trial evaluating Alpha DaRT in combination with pembrolizumab in elderly patients with locally advanced and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma has been selected for presentation at the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) 12th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer.
The conference is scheduled for July 18-22 in Boston, Massachusetts. The presentation is scheduled for July 21 during the Proffered Papers session on Radiation and Adjuvant Therapies from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM.
The AHNS International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer is a forum for advancing head and neck oncology, bringing together surgeons, oncologists, and researchers. Selection for a podium presentation is a distinction at the conference.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide, with 25-40% of patients diagnosed at age 70 or older. Elderly patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease face a medical need, as they are often ineligible for aggressive multimodal therapies, and available treatment options have suboptimal survival outcomes. Combining localized intratumoral treatments with systemic immunotherapy could enhance immune activation and improve clinical outcomes.
The accepted abstract presents data from a clinical study at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel, evaluating Alpha DaRT with pembrolizumab in elderly patients with locally advanced and metastatic HNSCC. Interim data was presented at the Company’s R&D Day in January 2025. The study builds on Alpha Tau’s head and neck cancer program, based on monotherapy data from clinical studies in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Japan. Preclinical research suggests Alpha DaRT treatment may activate an immune response, providing a rationale for combining it with checkpoint immunotherapy. Alpha DaRT is designed to act as a localized intratumoral add-on to the patient’s standard-of-care immunotherapy regimen.
Alpha Tau CEO Uzi Sofer stated that the podium presentation at the AHNS International Conference is a strategic milestone for Alpha Tau. He added that the company’s head and neck cancer program has matured over recent years, with monotherapy studies demonstrating the safety profile of Alpha DaRT. Sofer said that moving into combination with immunotherapy is a natural next step in their strategy, and that the company is committed to advancing Alpha DaRT toward becoming a treatment option for patients.
Prof. Aron Popovtzer, MD, Director of the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Medical Center, noted that the patient population represents one of the most challenging groups in oncology. Popovtzer added that the patients often cannot tolerate aggressive chemoradiation and their treatment options are limited. He said that the procedure is straightforward, and Alpha DaRT is delivered as an add-on to the patient’s standard-of-care immunotherapy. He looks forward to presenting the data at the AHNS conference.
Alpha Tau Chief Medical Officer Robert B. Den, MD, stated that the podium presentation at AHNS is an achievement for their combination therapy program. Den said that the clinical trial landscape in head and neck cancer is focused on combining localized and systemic therapies to enhance immune activation. He added that what differentiates Alpha DaRT is its safety profile. He also said that across all of their head and neck cancer studies to date, they have generally observed acute, low-grade toxicities associated with Alpha DaRT, with no chronic effects reported. He believes this combination approach opens a pathway for patients who have few options.
Alpha DaRT (Diffusing Alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy) is designed to enable intratumoral treatment of solid tumors. Alpha DaRT sources are inserted directly into the tumor, where they release particles that disperse locally to destroy the tumor. Since the therapeutic effect is confined to a short distance, Alpha DaRT aims to mainly affect the tumor and to spare the healthy tissue around it.
Founded in 2016, Alpha Tau is an Israeli oncology therapeutics company that focuses on research, development, and potential commercialization of the Alpha DaRT for the treatment of solid tumors. The technology was initially developed by Prof. Itzhak Kelson and Prof. Yona Keisari from Tel Aviv University.
Source: Alpha Tau Medical Ltd.
