VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WPD Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE:WBIO)(8SV1.F) (the “Company” or “WPD”), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, is pleased to announce its plan to initiate a Phase I clinical trial for Berubicin in pediatric brain cancer in Poland in collaboration with CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CNSP) (“CNS”), a biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic brain and central nervous system tumors.

The Company, in collaboration with CNS, is planning to conduct the upcoming Phase I clinical trial at Children’s Memorial Health Institute (“Children’s Memorial”), the largest pediatric hospital in Poland. The Company believes this Phase I trial of Berubicin at Children’s Memorial represents the first ever investigation of an anthracycline and topoisomerase II inhibitor in pediatric brain tumors. WPD and CNS are currently working with experts at Children’s Memorial to complete documentation for the upcoming study and scientific advice meeting.

As previously announced, WPD and CNS entered into a sublicense agreement which granted WPD commercial rights in a limited territory to Berubicin, including research and development. Subsequently, WPD was awarded a $6 million grant from the EU/Polish National Center for Research and Development. WPD plans to utilize funds from the grant to fund the upcoming Phase I trial and has the full support from CNS to execute these studies.

Mariusz Olejniczak, CEO of WPD Pharmaceuticals, commented, “We are very excited to initiate a Phase I clinical trial and further expand the scope of Berubicin. We look forward our collaboration with CNS and Children’s Memorial in Poland to initiate what we believe to be the first investigation of a unique topoisomerase II inhibitor that appears to be able to cross the blood-brain barrier in pediatric brain tumors.  We will continue to drive the clinical development of Berubicin in the upcoming Phase II trial in adult patients.”

About Berubicin

Berubicin is an anthracycline, a class of anticancer agents that are among the most powerful chemotherapy drugs and effective against more types of cancer than any other class of chemotherapeutic agents. Anthracyclines are designed to utilize natural processes to induce deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in targeted cancer cells by interfering with the action of topoisomerase II, a critical enzyme enabling cell proliferation. Berubicin treatment of brain cancer patients appeared to demonstrate positive responses that include one durable complete response in a Phase 1 human clinical trial conducted by Reata.

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: [email protected]
Tel: 604-428-7050
Web: www.wpdpharmaceuticals.com