Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTC:POLBF) CEO Jeremy Skillington talked with Proactive about the company’s interim results and key clinical milestones.
Skillington highlighted that Poolbeg ended June with £10.0 million in cash, supported by an upsized and oversubscribed £4.87 million fundraise earlier in the year. He said this extends the company’s cash runway into 2027, providing a strong foundation for advancing upcoming trials.
One of the company’s main focuses is POLB001, which is being developed to prevent cytokine release syndrome in patients undergoing cancer immunotherapies. “We expect to have interim data in the summer of 2026 that we can start sharing with our pharma colleagues,” Skillington noted. The trial will take place at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust under Dr Emma Searle, with support from Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT).
Skillington also discussed Poolbeg’s oral GLP-1 program, developed in partnership with AnaBio Technologies. This program uses an encapsulation technology to allow oral delivery of GLP-1, currently given mostly by injection. A rapid proof-of-concept trial is planned under Prof Carel le Roux at the University of Ulster, with data expected in the first half of 2026.
Looking ahead, Skillington said Poolbeg is entering a “catalyst-rich period” with multiple updates expected that could attract pharmaceutical partners.
Proactive: Jeremy great to speak with you again. You're out with your interim results this morning. Could you share some of the key highlights, please?
Jeremy Skillington: Busy year for Poolbeg, busy half a year. We ended June with £10.0 million in cash, including an oversubscribed fundraise of £4.87 million earlier in the year. This extends our cash runway into 2027. That supports our key clinical milestones, including preparations for a Phase 2a clinical trial with POLB001. We secured access to an approved bispecific antibody for the trial at no cost, and we have partnered with a specialist blood cancer organisation to conduct it. We also received orphan drug designation from the US FDA.
Proactive: You mentioned that major update last week for POLB001. For those who missed it, could you quickly remind us about it?
Jeremy Skillington: POLB001 is moving into a Phase 2a trial in relapsed remitting multiple myeloma patients. We secured access to an approved bispecific antibody free of charge and partnered with Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) to run the study. The trial will be led by Dr Emma Searle at the NHS Christie Foundation Trust in Manchester. It will be a single-arm, open-label trial, providing clinical data quickly. Interim data is expected in summer 2026. POLB001 aims to prevent cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a significant issue in cancer immunotherapy. We believe it is an excellent candidate.
Proactive: What kind of impact could POLB001 make for cancer patients, health systems, and the company?
Jeremy Skillington: Preventing CRS could transform treatment. Patients currently need to stay in specialist cancer clinics. Preventing CRS would allow treatment in community hospitals or even GP settings, easing pressure on healthcare systems. Around 70% of patients receiving bispecific antibodies develop CRS, so addressing this is critical. Pharma companies would benefit from wider patient access, increasing revenues, and POLB001 itself has a market opportunity estimated at more than $10.00 billion.
Proactive: Talking about another large marketplace, you mentioned your oral GLP-1 program. How is that progressing?
Jeremy Skillington: We entered the oral GLP-1 space just as the field grew rapidly. These drugs benefit diabetes, obesity, and related conditions but are mostly injected. We are working with AnaBio Technologies on an encapsulation technology for oral delivery. The trial will be led by Prof Carel le Roux at the University of Ulster. Around 20 subjects will be enrolled, and data is expected in the first half of 2026. Oral delivery should increase compliance and convenience. The technology could also be applied to other metabolic conditions.
Proactive: Looking ahead, what should investors be excited about?
Jeremy Skillington: With £10.0 million in cash extending our runway into 2027, we are well capitalised. We expect multiple milestones, updates, and news flow to impact positively. We have an experienced team and are working in attractive areas such as oncology and GLP-1. We are looking forward to data readouts from both POLB001 and the oral GLP-1 trial next year.
Proactive: Jeremy, thank you for your time today.