The "Werewolf" Within: Novel Drug Eradicates Deadly Skin Cancer, Offering New Hope

A 73-year-old patient with advanced, disfiguring skin cancer is in complete remission for over a year.
Treatment involved a revolutionary "smart drug," WTX-124, from Werewolf Therapeutics, in a clinical trial at HonorHealth Research Institute.
The drug targets cancer cells specifically, unleashing potent immunotherapy only within the tumor, minimizing side effects.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – For Wayne Futch, decades spent working under the harsh Phoenix sun led to a devastating battle with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The relentless cancer disfigured his face, and even after more than 60 radiation treatments, it marched on, ultimately costing him his right eye. "It disfigured my face," Futch recounted. "I knew I needed to take some different action."

That desperate search led him to HonorHealth Research Institute in September 2023, and a clinical trial for an investigational drug, WTX-124^{6, 7}. Developed by Werewolf Therapeutics, WTX-124 is no ordinary treatment. It’s an engineered pro-drug, a molecular "werewolf" designed to remain dormant and harmless in the body until it reaches the tumor microenvironment. Once there, it transforms, selectively unleashing the potent anti-cancer power of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) directly at the enemy, sparing healthy tissue from the cytokine's notorious toxicity^{6, 7}.

The results were astonishing. Within just 8 weeks, Futch's tumor dramatically shrank. By 12 weeks, there was no detectable cancer. More than a year later, he remains in remission, a testament to this targeted immunotherapy^{6, 7}. "I haven’t had any cancer since," Futch shared, his relief palpable.

"This drug is designed to be inactive upon infusion and only activated within the tumor," explained Dr. Justin Moser of HonorHealth Research Institute. "We are overjoyed with the benefit that this patient received, especially given the very limited treatment options available."

This breakthrough offers a beacon of hope. CSCC affects over a million Americans annually, with nearly 7,000 succumbing when it becomes advanced⁶. For patients like Futch, whose cancer defied standard treatments including checkpoint inhibitors, WTX-124 could herald a new era. The ongoing Phase 1/1b clinical trial (NCT05660384) is evaluating WTX-124 across ten national sites, with further data anticipated in late 2025^{1, 5}. As Skin Cancer Awareness Month casts a spotlight on this growing menace, stories like Wayne Futch's ignite hope for a future where even the most challenging cancers can be tamed.

The "Werewolf" Within: Novel Drug Eradicates Deadly Skin Cancer, Offering New Hope

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