MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sun BioPharma, Inc. (OTCQB: SNBP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing disruptive therapeutics for the treatment of people with pancreatic cancer, today announced that an abstract describing Phase 1 clinical data for SBP-101 has been accepted for poster presentation January 24, 2020 at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, being held January 23-25 in San Francisco. SBP-101 is a proprietary polyamine analogue designed to induce polyamine metabolic inhibition (PMI) a metabolic pathway of critical importance in multiple tumor types.

Sun BioPharma also announced that Arthur J. Fratamico, RPh, MBA recently joined its Board of Directors.  Mr. Fratamico is an experienced business development executive with 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including corporate development, commercial strategy and financing. With this addition, Sun BioPharma’s board now totals six members.

“I’m delighted to welcome Art to the Sun BioPharma board,” said Michael T. Cullen, MD, MBA, CEO, President and Executive Chairman of Sun BioPharma. “Art brings highly relevant experience, and we look forward to the benefit of his expertise in business development and strategy at this significant stage of the company.”

Mr. Fratamico has served as Chief Business Officer of Galera Therapeutics since January 2017. Prior to joining Galera, Mr. Fratamico served as Chief Business Officer of Vitae Pharmaceuticals until its sale to Allergan. He previously held similar executive roles with a number of biotechnology companies, including MGI Pharma and Gemin X, leading their business development efforts and facilitating the sales of both Gemin X Pharmaceuticals and MGI Pharma. He has also served in several senior marketing, product planning and new product development positions. Mr. Fratamico earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and an M.B.A. from Drexel University, and is a registered pharmacist.

Poster Presentation Information:
Efficacy of SBP-101, in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel, in first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Friday, January 24, 2020, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Abstract 710, Board K21
Poster Session B: Hepatobiliary Cancer, Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid, Pancreatic Cancer, and Small Bowel Cancer
American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

About SBP-101

SBP-101 is a proprietary polyamine analogue designed to induce polyamine metabolic inhibition (PMI), a metabolic pathway of critical importance in multiple tumor types. Sun BioPharma licensed SBP-101 from the University of Florida Research Foundation in 2011. The molecule has been shown to be a highly effective tumor growth inhibitor in preclinical studies of human pancreatic cancer models, demonstrating superior and complementary activity to existing FDA-approved chemotherapy agents. SBP-101 has demonstrated encouraging activity against primary and metastatic disease in clinical trials of patients with pancreatic cancer. The safety results and PMI profile demonstrated in Sun BioPharma’s previously completed first-in-human safety study provide support for evaluation of SBP-101 in combination with current standard pancreatic cancer treatment.

About Sun BioPharma

Sun BioPharma Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing disruptive therapeutics for urgent unmet medical needs. Sun BioPharma’s development program is currently targeting pancreatic cancer; its initial product candidate is SBP-101 for the potential treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. SBP-101 was invented by Raymond Bergeron, Ph.D., a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida. Sun BioPharma has scientific collaborations with pancreatic disease experts at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the University of Rochester in New York, Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center in San Diego, California, the University of Florida, the Austin Health Cancer Trials Centre in Melbourne, Australia, the Ashford Cancer Centre in Adelaide, Australia, The Blacktown Cancer and Haemotology Centre in Sydney, Australia and the John Flynn Private Hospital in Tugun, Queensland, Australia. Sun BioPharma’s independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) is Chaired by James Abbruzzese, MD, Professor of Medicine, and Chief, Division of Medical Oncology at Duke University School of Medicine. Professor David Goldstein, FRACP, Senior Staff Specialist at the Prince Henry & Prince of Wales Hospital / Cancer Care Centre in Sydney, Australia is Co-Chair of the DSMB. Further information can be found at: www.sunbiopharma.com. Sun BioPharma’s common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQB tier of the over-the-counter markets administered by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the symbol SNBP.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements, “including within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “believes,” “may,” “expects,” or “plans.” Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding SBP-101, and plans with respect to our presentation of data at the ASCO 2020 GI Symposium. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. As with any pharmaceutical product like SBP-101, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of development and commercialization. There can be no guarantees that this treatment will receive regulatory approval or, if approved, will achieve the intended benefits or become commercially successful. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially and adversely from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: (i) the anticipated timing of first patient enrollment, (ii) our need to obtain additional capital, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, (iii) risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, and (iv) uncertainty in the results or timing of clinical trials or regulatory approvals. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement or reasons why actual results would differ from those anticipated in any such forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.