HOUSTON, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Moleculin
Biotech, Inc., (Nasdaq: MBRX) ("Moleculin" or the "Company"), a
clinical stage pharmaceutical company with a broad portfolio of
drug candidates targeting highly resistant tumors and viruses,
today announced that a second round of independent laboratory
testing has confirmed the antiviral activity of WP1122 against
coronavirus.
Moleculin contracted with IIT Research Institute (an affiliate
of the Illinois Institute of
Technology, "IITRI") for additional in vitro testing of its
drug candidate, WP1122, in development as a possible treatment for
COVID-19. The testing involved a cell viability assay in the
VERO E6 cell line infected with SARS-CoV-2 and compared the
therapeutic effects of 2-DG (the active ingredient in WP1122) alone
with those of WP1122, a 2-DG prodrug. Importantly, the growth
medium in this assay was carefully chosen to reflect the levels of
glucose normally found in humans rather than the artificially high
levels of glucose often used to accelerate in vitro
testing.
"This additional testing was important for several reasons,"
commented Walter Klemp, Chairman and
CEO of Moleculin. "Having validation in yet another virus host cell
line provides additional confidence in the antiviral activity we
are seeing. Also, using a different independent lab from the last
testing that was done provides further validation. We are
also gaining confidence that in vitro testing results for this
class of compounds are significantly affected by the concentration
of natural glucose in the microenvironment present during viral
replication and continued infection."
Based on feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
("FDA"), the Company believes it may need to demonstrate activity
in a COVID-19 animal model to successfully submit a request for
Investigational New Drug ("IND") status for WP1122. In
addition, the Company has also contracted with IITRI to conduct
preclinical toxicology testing, which is currently under way.
Mr. Klemp concluded: "We should also remind investors that
WP1122 is just one compound in a broad portfolio of molecules in
this class of antimetabolites. We are also testing other
compounds in the portfolio against SARS-CoV-2 and other
life-threatening viruses. We believe WP1122 is promising, but
we also don't want to overlook additional opportunities to
potentially provide new and better solutions to other viral
diseases."
About Moleculin Biotech, Inc.
Moleculin Biotech, Inc. is a clinical stage pharmaceutical
company focused on the development of a broad portfolio of oncology
drug candidates for the treatment of highly resistant tumors and
viruses. The Company's clinical stage drugs are: Annamycin, a Next
Generation Anthracycline, designed to avoid multidrug resistance
mechanisms with little to no cardiotoxicity, being studied for the
treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, more
commonly referred to as AML; WP1066, an Immune/Transcription
Modulator capable of inhibiting p-STAT3 and other oncogenic
transcription factors while also stimulating a natural immune
response, being studied for brain tumors, pancreatic cancer and
hematologic malignancies; and WP1220, an analog to WP1066, being
studied for the topical treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Moleculin is also engaged in preclinical development of additional
drug candidates, including additional Immune/Transcription
Modulators, as well as compounds capable of
Metabolism/Glycosylation Inhibition, such as WP1122. Moleculin has
the exclusive worldwide rights (subject to certain territories for
which it has issued sublicenses) to all of the above
technologies.
For more information about the Company, please visit
http://www.moleculin.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this release are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve
risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press
release include, without limitation, the ability of WP1122 to show
sufficient antiviral potential in vitro and in vivo models, the
ability of Moleculin to file an IND submission and the ability of
WP1122 to be shown safe and effective for the treatment of
COVID-19, other viral diseases, or cancer. Although Moleculin
believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may
prove to have been materially different from the results expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements. Moleculin Biotech
has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology
including ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''anticipates,''
''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''projects,'' ''intends,'' ''potential,''
''may,'' ''could,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,''
''approximately'' or other words that convey uncertainty of future
events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements.
These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those discussed
under Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our most recently filed Form 10-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and
updated from time to time in our Form 10-Q filings and in our other
public filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements
contained in this release speak only as of its date. We undertake
no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in
this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its
date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Contacts
James
Salierno / Carol Ruth
The Ruth Group
646-536-7028 / 7000
jsalierno@theruthgroup.com
cruth@theruthgroup.com
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SOURCE Moleculin Biotech, Inc.