Telomir Pharmaceuticals (TELO) Unveils Leukemia Breakthrough and Board Change – Full Investor Update for November 21, 2025

Telomir Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: TELO) shares react to new preclinical leukemia data and a director resignation on November 21, 2025. Here’s what today’s Telomir-1 news means for TELO stock and investors.

New preclinical data: Telomir-1, Telomir Pharmaceuticals’ lead small-molecule candidate, showed dose‑dependent killing of aggressive HL60 human leukemia cells in vitro, extending its oncology profile into blood cancers. ^[1]
Scientific context: The study builds on earlier work showing Telomir-1 can lower intracellular iron more effectively than gold‑standard chelator deferoxamine (DFO) and modulate tumor-suppressor gene methylation in multiple cancer models. ^[2]
Boardroom change: Director Dr. Craig Eagle has resigned from the board, effective November 14, with the company stating the departure is not due to any disagreement with management or the board. ^[3]
Market reaction: After an initial pre‑market pop of around 8% on the leukemia update, TELO is recently trading near $1.39, roughly 3% below the prior close, underscoring ongoing volatility in this micro‑cap biotech name. ^[4]
Big picture: Telomir remains a preclinical‑stage company targeting epigenetic and metabolic drivers of cancer and aging; all human safety and efficacy data for Telomir‑1 are still ahead, and the usual early‑stage biotech risks remain elevated. ^[5]

What happened to Telomir Pharmaceuticals (TELO) today?

On Friday, November 21, 2025, Telomir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: TELO), a Miami‑based preclinical biotech focused on small‑molecule therapies for cancer, aging and age‑related disease, released a new press release highlighting fresh in‑vitro data in human leukemia cells. ^[6]

In parallel, investors digested a separate corporate governance update: the company disclosed that board member Dr. Craig Eagle has stepped down, effective November 14, 2025, with the move described in an SEC filing as not stemming from any dispute with the company or its leadership. ^[7]

Market coverage from multiple outlets — including Investing.com, StreetInsider, StockTwits News, GuruFocus and others — quickly picked up the story, emphasizing Telomir‑1’s activity against leukemia cells and the early positive stock reaction. ^[8]

Pre‑market: TELO climbed about 7–8% in pre‑market trading after the leukemia data hit the tape. ^[9]
Recent quote: As of the latest available trade around 13:54 UTC, TELO is changing hands at roughly $1.39, about 3% below the previous close, according to market data.
Longer‑term context: Despite today’s bounce attempt, Telomir shares remain down on the year by roughly two‑thirds, reflecting the high risk profile typical of tiny, preclinical oncology names. ^[10]

For investors, today’s story is a mix of scientific momentum, corporate housekeeping, and persistent share‑price volatility.

New Telomir-1 leukemia data: dose‑dependent killing of HL60 cells

Telomir’s headline today is a preclinical in‑vitro study of its lead candidate Telomir‑1 in HL60 human leukemia cells, a widely used model of aggressive blood cancer.

According to the company’s press release, summarized via ACCESS Newswire and FinanzNachrichten: ^[11]

HL60 leukemia cells were exposed to Telomir‑1 in a lab dish.
The compound led to a clear, dose‑dependent reduction in viable leukemia cells — in plain language, higher Telomir‑1 concentrations were associated with fewer surviving cancer cells.
The company frames the findings as expanding Telomir‑1’s oncology footprint into cancers of the blood, adding to previously reported activity in triple‑negative breast, pancreatic, and aggressive prostate cancer models.

The release devotes substantial space to why leukemia is hard to treat, noting challenges such as: ^[12]

high relapse rates even after initial responses
resistance to modern targeted agents and BCL‑2‑based regimens
toxicity of current therapies to normal blood and immune cells
the ability of leukemia cells to adapt metabolically and epigenetically
limited options for older or medically fragile patients

Telomir’s pitch is that these biology problems line up with the pathways Telomir‑1 is designed to hit — especially iron handling and epigenetic regulation.

Why iron and epigenetics matter in Telomir’s leukemia story

Today’s leukemia update leans heavily on two themes that have shown up repeatedly in Telomir’s earlier work: iron metabolism and epigenetic control of tumor‑suppressor genes.

1. Iron dependence

The company notes that many leukemia subtypes depend on iron to: ^[13]

fuel rapid DNA synthesis and cell division
drive mitochondrial energy production
support iron‑dependent epigenetic enzymes that silence tumor‑suppressor genes

In previously reported experiments, Telomir‑1 was shown to lower intracellular iron levels in live human cells more effectively than deferoxamine (DFO), a long‑standing FDA‑approved iron chelator, at sub‑micromolar concentrations. These data came from live‑cell imaging in human keratinocytes, showing robust lowering of ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). ^[14]

This iron‑modulating ability is presented as an important piece of Telomir‑1’s broader mechanism of action — one that could be particularly relevant in leukemias that overload iron.

2. Epigenetic re‑programming

The press release also revisits earlier research indicating that Telomir‑1 can reverse abnormal DNA methylation of multiple tumor‑suppressor genes, including STAT1, CDKN2A, MASPIN, RASSF1A, CASP8 and GSTP1, as well as inhibit several families of lysine histone demethylases (KDM2, KDM5, KDM6). ^[15]

These enzymes and methylation patterns are central to how cancer cells:

silence genes that would otherwise promote cell death (apoptosis)
support stem‑like behavior
evade immune detection

In leukemia, overactive or mutated KDMs and aberrant DNA methylation have been linked to disease progression and therapy resistance. Telomir argues that Telomir‑1’s ability to modulate both iron and epigenetic pathways gives it a potentially differentiated profile among experimental oncology agents. ^[16]

3. Other cancer models in the background

The leukemia data don’t stand alone. Telomir has previously reported that Telomir‑1: ^[17]

triggers strong, dose‑dependent loss of viability in triple‑negative breast cancer cells, reversible when iron is re‑introduced
reduces survival and mitochondrial activity in aggressive pancreatic cancer cells, again with partial rescue by iron
decreases tumor volume and reverses abnormal DNA methylation in an in vivo prostate cancer PC3 model, outperforming comparators like rapamycin and certain chemotherapies

Today’s HL60 data are therefore framed as one more brick in a growing wall of preclinical evidence supporting Telomir‑1’s multi‑cancer potential — still entirely preclinical, but increasingly broad.

Company snapshot: what Telomir Pharmaceuticals does

Telomir describes itself as a preclinical‑stage biotechnology company developing small‑molecule therapies targeting the epigenetic and metabolic roots of cancer, aging and age‑related disease. ^[18]

Key elements of the story include:

Lead candidate – Telomir‑1: A small molecule designed to modulate iron homeostasis, oxidative stress, and epigenetic control of gene expression.
Indications in focus: While early messaging centered heavily on cellular aging and age‑related disease, 2025 has seen a clear pivot toward oncology, with data in breast, pancreatic, prostate and now leukemia models. ^[19]
Earlier non‑oncology work: Prior releases have highlighted Telomir‑1’s ability to reduce oxidative stress in retinal and other human cell lines, suggesting potential applications in age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) and even in certain viral contexts, though these remain at a very early, exploratory stage. ^[20]

Strategically, Telomir has also moved to consolidate global rights to its lead asset:

In October, the company executed a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire TELI Pharmaceuticals, effectively centralizing worldwide intellectual property for Telomir‑1 under the NASDAQ‑listed entity.
Under that LOI, TELI shareholders are to receive TELO stock, with up to $5 million in potential shareholder contributions tied to milestones such as closing, IND acceptance, and Phase 1/2 initiation, and a six‑month lockup for TELI holders. ^[21]

Telomir pitches this unified rights structure as a way to enable global partnerships and out‑licensing, particularly in ex‑U.S. markets.

Boardroom news: Director Craig Eagle resigns

Alongside the science update, investors today are digesting a board change.

An SEC filing summarized by Investing.com reports that Dr. Craig Eagle has resigned from Telomir’s board of directors, effective November 14, 2025. According to the company’s statement: ^[22]

the resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company, its management, or the board
the board expressed appreciation for Dr. Eagle’s service
a resignation letter was attached as an exhibit to the filing

The same article notes Telomir’s recent stream of scientific updates and its LOI to consolidate Telomir‑1 rights, suggesting the resignation occurs against a backdrop of intensifying R&D and corporate activity. ^[23]

At this stage, Telomir has not publicly outlined any replacement or changes to board composition beyond this departure. For governance‑focused investors, the key data points are timing (effective November 14) and the explicit statement that there was no underlying dispute driving the move.

Market reaction: how TELO stock is trading today

Coverage from Investing.com and StockTwits News highlights that TELO initially jumped in pre‑market trading after the leukemia data went public, with gains near 8% at one point. ^[24]

However, as of the most recent data:

Latest price: about $1.39 per share
Day move: roughly –3% vs. the prior close, according to real‑time market data.
Volatility: daily swings remain pronounced, as is common for micro‑cap, preclinical biotechs.

Longer‑term performance remains challenging:

StockTwits and TradingView data indicate the shares are down roughly 60–70% over the past 12 months, despite recent scientific headlines. ^[25]

In other words, even though today’s news is scientifically encouraging, the market is still treating TELO as a high‑risk, story‑driven name where fresh data can spark short‑term spikes but has yet to translate into sustained price appreciation.

What investors should watch next

For readers following Telomir via Google News or Discover, here are the key forward‑looking questions:

From petri dish to patients
- All the high‑profile data so far — including today’s HL60 leukemia results — are preclinical and largely in vitro.
- The next major inflection points will be regulatory steps like IND (Investigational New Drug) submission and acceptance, followed by Phase 1/2 trials to test Telomir‑1’s safety, dosing, and early signals of efficacy in humans. ^[26]
Clinical strategy in oncology
- Telomir now has preclinical signals across breast, pancreatic, prostate and leukemia models. Investors will be watching which indication(s) the company prioritizes for first‑in‑human studies, and whether it pursues hematologic malignancies (like leukemia) or solid tumors first. ^[27]
Financing and dilution
- As a pre‑revenue, preclinical company, Telomir will likely need additional capital to fund clinical trials, which often means equity raises and potential dilution for existing shareholders. The structure of the TELI LOI, with milestone‑linked contributions, underlines the company’s funding needs. ^[28]
Regulatory and partnership news
- Consolidating global rights to Telomir‑1 positions the company to seek pharma or regional partnerships, particularly outside the U.S. Any such deal — or lack thereof — will be an important signal of how external stakeholders view the asset’s potential. ^[29]
Governance follow‑through
- With Dr. Eagle’s resignation, investors may look for updates on board composition, new appointments, or governance changes that align with Telomir’s shift into more advanced oncology development. ^[30]

Bottom line

On November 21, 2025, Telomir Pharmaceuticals delivered a scientifically meaningful but still early‑stage milestone: new data showing Telomir‑1 can kill aggressive HL60 leukemia cells in a dose‑dependent fashion, deepening its preclinical oncology story. At the same time, the resignation of a board director — explicitly framed as non‑contentious — adds a layer of corporate change to the narrative. ^[31]

For now, TELO remains a high‑risk biotech stock whose value rests almost entirely on unproven preclinical science. The latest leukemia findings strengthen the biological rationale behind Telomir‑1 but do not yet answer the real‑world questions investors ultimately care about:

Can the drug be safely dosed in humans?
Will its iron‑ and epigenetic‑modulating effects translate into clinical benefit?
Can the company finance and execute well‑designed trials without overwhelming dilution?

Until those questions are addressed in human data, Telomir will likely continue to trade more on headline‑driven sentiment than fundamentals.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, medical, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before making investment decisions.