08:41 AM EST, 02/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Purple Biotech ( PPBT ) said Tuesday it is advancing its drug candidate NT219 into a phase 2 clinical trial aimed at overcoming tumor resistance in therapies for recurring metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of NT219 in combination with standard therapies like pembrolizumab and cetuximab, focusing on overcoming the resistance mechanisms tumors develop against such treatments, the company said.

Purple Biotech's ( PPBT ) shares were up over 10% in recent Tuesday premarket activity.