VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WPD Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: WBIO)(FSE: 8SV1) (the “Company” or “WPD”), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, is pleased to announce that its drug candidate WP1066 was the subject of a scientific paper published in 2019 entitled "Immunological Reprogramming in the CNS Tumor Microenvironment and Therapeutic Efficacy of Radiotherapy with STAT3 Blockade” which found that drug candidate WP1066 is potentially capable of immune reprogramming in Glioblastoma animal models.
Currently in clinical trials at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, WP1066 represents a new class of drugs, which WPD identifies as “Immune/Transcription Modulators”. WP1066 and related analogs have not only demonstrated the ability to directly induce apoptosis (tumor cell death) but also the ability to stimulate an immune response to tumors allowing T-cells to attack tumor cells. These unique drug properties are a result of WP1066’s ability to inhibit the activated form of STAT3, (p-STAT3.
One of the key findings of the research is that immune-competent mice treated with both radiation and WP1066 developed an immunological memory that enabled them to prevent regrowth of the tumor after these tumor cells were reintroduced. The result was the development of long-term survivors, leading to an increase in overall survival in these models. Of note was that mice with a compromised immune system did not show this effect. The study was also showed the most robust immunological responses were located in the CNS (Central Nervous System) tumor microenvironment rather than peripheral non-tumor tissue. Importantly, the study indicated that the combination of STAT3 inhibition with whole brain radiotherapy had the capacity to enhance the therapeutic effect against established tumors based on immunological competence.
Mariusz Olejniczak, CEO of WPD commented “The findings in the report by Dr. Martina Ott, of MD Anderson Cancer Center in collaboration with Dr. Amy Heimberger (the Principle Investigator of the current investigator-initiated clinical of WP1066 for brain tumors) are very encouraging, especially given the increasing focus on the potential of STAT3 inhibition for the treatment of cancer. Making any kind of discovery in treating glioblastoma is exciting, and these findings could have a significant impact on understanding the role of STAT3 inhibition, as well as help focus our continued development of WP1066.”
About WPD Pharmaceuticals
WPD is a biotechnology research and development company with a focus on oncology, namely research and development of medicinal products involving biological compounds and small molecules. WPD has 10 novel drug candidates with 4 that are in clinical development stage. These drug candidates were researched at institutions including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic and Emory University, and WPD currently has ongoing collaborations with Wake Forest University and leading hospitals and academic centers in Poland.
WPD has entered into license agreements with Wake Forest University Health Sciences and sublicense agreements with Moleculin Biotech, Inc. and CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., respectively, each of which grant WPD an exclusive, royalty-bearing sublicense to certain technologies of the licensor. Such agreements provide WPD with certain research, development, manufacturing and sales rights, among other things.
On Behalf of the Board
‘Mariusz Olejniczak’
Mariusz Olejniczak
CEO, WDP Pharmaceuticals
Contact:
Investor Relations
Email: investors@wpdpharmaceuticals.com
Tel: 604-428-7050
Web: www.wpdpharmaceuticals.com
Cautionary Statements:
Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Company’s CSE listing statement, prepared in accordance with the policies of the CSE, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that contemplate activities, events or developments that the Company anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements in this press release include that our findings could have a significant impact on understanding the role of STAT3 inhibition and that WPD’s drugs could be developed into novel treatments for cancer.. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current expectations based on information currently available to management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those projected. Factors which may prevent the forward looking statement from being realized is that competitors or others may successfully challenge a granted patent and the patent could be rendered void; that we are unable to raise sufficient funding for our research; that our drugs don’t provide positive treatment, or if they do, the side effects are damaging; competitors may develop better or cheaper drugs; and we may be unable to obtain regulatory approval for any drugs we develop. Readers should refer to the risk disclosure included from time-to-time in the documents the Company files on SEDAR, available at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, they should not be relied upon and there can be no assurance that any of them will prove to be accurate. Finally, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update them except as required by applicable law.