Findings demonstrate HERV-K is required for senescence-associated inflammation in metabolically challenged cells and is reactivated in plasma of subjects living with obesity
COPENHAGEN, Denmark and NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HERVolution Therapeutics ApS, a biotechnology company pioneering human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-targeting immunotherapies for oncology, metabolic diseases, and longevity, today announced an oral presentation featuring new scientific data at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO 2026), taking place July 15-17, 2026, in Mexico City. The presentation, titled “Human Endogenous Retrovirus K drives and spreads metabolic senescence,” is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026, 16:30–18:00 local time.
The results to be presented reveal that HERV-K is activated under metabolic challenge in terminally stressed, pro-inflammatory cells, where it is required for the induction of adipocyte stress-associated inflammation. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for HERV-K’s role in senescence-linked inflammatory cascades in the context of metabolically unhealthy obesity.
In parallel, results from a clinical dataset developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital (BBH), detected elevated HERV-K reactivation in human plasma samples from volunteers living with obesity.
Together, the preclinical and clinical findings extend the relevance of HERVolution’s HERV-targeting platform beyond oncology, consistent with the Company’s intent to apply its technology in a broader medical context, such as countering chronic low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, and accelerated aging.
“These results position HERV-K at the heart of biology that connects obesity, chronic inflammation, and cellular senescence, providing the first mechanistic and human plasma level evidence characterizing the pivotal role of HERV-K in the induction of adipocyte stress-associated inflammation. The detection of HERV-K reactivation in human plasma reinforces what we have long believed, namely that our target is active across a broad spectrum of indications pertinent to oncology as well as cardiometabolic and aging-related diseases. We are proud that this science is being presented at one of the world’s leading metabolic disease congresses.” — J. Robert Coleman, PhD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, HERVolution Therapeutics
About HERVolution Therapeutics
HERVolution Therapeutics is a biotechnology company pioneering human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-targeting immunotherapies for oncology, metabolic diseases, and longevity. HERVs are ancient viral sequences embedded in the human genome that become reactivated in cancer and other diseases of aging. By directing the immune system against HERV-derived antigens, HERVolution aims to deliver a new class of senolytic therapies across multiple indications where HERV reactivation and cellular senescence contribute to disease biology. The Company’s lead program, IPT-001, is advancing toward first-in-human studies in oncology and metabolic disease. For more information, please visit hervolutiontx.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
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