SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE ‒ Oncology Pharma, Inc. (OTCPK: ONPH) and Kalos Therapeutics (“Kalos”) announced today that the companies amended the terms of their collaboration to explore treatment opportunities of the COVID-19 virus, for the benefit of the most vulnerable cancer patients with cardiovascular issues and/or a weakened immune system.
George Colberg, Chairman and CEO of Kalos Therapeutics, and Dr. Vijay Mahant, Chief Scientific Officer of Oncology Pharma, have proposed the investigation of Kalos Therapeutics’ lead drug KTH-222 (alone and/or in combination with anti-viral drugs) as an integral part of monitoring viral loads in cancer patients infected with the COVID-19 virus or in suspected patients with the symptoms. "We believe the expansion of this agreement is a proactive step forward in advancing therapies, risk mitigation and our commitment in healthcare. The co-development program between the two companies and the potential for KTH-222 as a mono-therapy and/or in combination with FDA-approved or compassionate anti-viral therapies together with Oncology Pharma's diagnostic expertise in combating COVID-19 in vulnerable cancer patients will potentially benefit such patients,” Colberg stated.
Jamie Jones, Chief Business Officer at Kalos Therapeutics, said, "Under the terms of the amended co-development and licensing agreement between Kalos and Oncology Pharma, we will assess our businesses thoroughly to create collaborations for better efficiency. We expect, if successful, the outcome to improve access to capital, and most importantly, expedite our drug and diagnostic development practices to meet patient needs.”
In 2019, Kalos Therapeutics signed a Letter of Intent with Oncology Pharma, for a worldwide license and co-development of Kalos's lead anti-cancer drug, KTH-222. The agreement centered on KTH-222 as a mono-therapy and/or in combination with antiviral drugs or therapies approved by the FDA and/or the appropriate regulatory agencies.
Kalos Therapeutics is developing a platform of drugs containing multiple arrays of a natriuretic peptide, which have demonstrated a broad spectrum of anti-tumor activity with negligible or no known adverse effects. In a Pre-IND study using the parent drug involving a total of 88 patients, including 22 healthy patients, the study demonstrated safety and therapeutic efficacy. Kalos's leading drug candidate, KTH-222, regulates cell growth via inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Kalos’s vision is to change the care paradigm for treating cancer patients as KTH-222 can be a lead therapy, or used in combination with existing treatments to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity, and mitigate resistance or reverse it.
ABOUT ONCOLOGY PHARMA, INC.
Oncology Pharma, Inc. (OTCPK: ONPH) (the "Company") is a pioneering oncology company dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and commercializing therapeutics. The Company has entered into Letters of Intent with Kalos Therapeutics for its lead anticancer drug, KTH-222, Diagnomics (a CLIA and CAP accredited molecular diagnostic lab), NanoSmart Pharmaceuticals for its targeted drug delivery platform and a licensing agreement with Ribera Solutions for its Connect2Med clinical trial app platform.
ABOUT KALOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Kalos is pursuing a multi-phase strategy to reorient today's therapeutic approach to cancer patients while driving changes to transform therapeutic approaches for unmet and rare medical conditions. Kalos has a lead compound KTH-222, which is more promising than "standard of care" drugs with difficult to treat tumors.
Kalos is devoted to treating the unmet needs of people living with incurable diseases while doing so with less toxic and debilitating side effects commonly associated with chemotherapies. Kalos believes that by leveraging nature and all of the body's mechanisms, they have created new, safer approaches to cancer and diseases that affect the eye as well. Kalos has several applications for animal health based on both its eight amino acid and a 15 amino acid drug KTV-111. Kalos aims to treat dangerous and debilitating diseases and improve the quality of life for the patient and their families.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain of the matters discussed in this announcement contain forward-looking statements that involve material risks to and uncertainties in the Company's business that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the statements made herein. Such risks and uncertainties include risks related to licensing arrangements and joint ventures, including the need to negotiate the definitive agreements for the relationships; possible failure to realize anticipated benefits of business relationships; and, costs of providing funding to these business relationships. Other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company include, among other things, current negative operating cash flows and a need for additional funding to finance our operating plan; the terms of any further financing, which may be highly dilutive and may include onerous terms; unexpected costs and operating deficits, and lower than expected sales and revenues; uncertain willingness and ability of customers to adopt new technologies and other factors that may affect further market acceptance; adverse economic conditions; adverse results of any legal proceedings; the volatility of our operating results and financial condition; inability to attract or retain qualified senior management personnel, including sales and marketing personnel; our ability to establish and maintain the proprietary nature of our technology through the patent process, as well as our ability to possibly license from others patents and patent applications necessary to develop products; the Company's ability to implement its long range business plan for various applications of its technology; the Company's ability to enter into agreements with any necessary marketing and/or distribution partners and with any strategic or joint venture partners; the impact of competition; the obtaining and maintenance of any necessary regulatory clearances applicable to applications of the Company's technology; management of growth; and, other risks and uncertainties. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell securities and does not purport to be an analysis of the Company's financial position.
CONTACTS:
For additional information, please contact the Oncology Pharma at:
One Sansome Street, Suite 3500
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-869-1038
Fax: 415-946-8801
Email: info@oncology-pharma.com