Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2024) - ME Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (CSE: METX) (FSE: Q9T) ("ME Therapeutics" or the "Company"), a preclinical stage biotechnology company working on novel cancer fighting drugs in the field of immuno-oncology, is pleased to announce that the Company has engaged two new clinical consultants to help advance our lead anti-G-CSF antibody candidate (h1B11-12) towards a first in-human clinical trial.
Dr. Kate Hanham, PhD, is a clinical trial consultant who has consulted for organizations ranging from start-up biotechnology to some of the top ten pharmaceutical companies. She has provided strategic input at all stages of product development, designed and implemented clinical, regulatory and manufacturing strategies from early development through NDA. Dr. Hanham has held lead responsibilities in critical communications with the FDA and international regulatory agencies. She has also provided assessment of technology, product development and clinical programs for financial groups seeking to invest in biotechnology. Dr. Hanham earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Birmingham, England, and was awarded a Wellcome Trust fellowship at Yale University. After receiving a faculty position at Yale, Dr. Hanham moved into private industry where her work experience included Centocor, Repligen and Aviron prior to founding her consulting company in 1996. Dr. Hanham's research career in infectious diseases, applied immunology and vaccine development has provided experience critical to organizations developing a variety of products, including gene and cell therapies, monoclonal antibodies, HIV and other viral vaccines, immune modulating agents and small molecule therapeutics. She has established domestic and international product development programs, implemented complex global clinical trials and quality management systems, designed manufacturing and analytical facilities, and provided effective study salvage support.
Dr. Katherine Morris has over 20 years of experience as a surgical oncologist and solid tumor immunologist. Dr. Morris completed her training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center after which she cared for patients with primary and metastatic liver and pancreatic malignancies. Her clinical work motivated and informed her research which focuses on reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. Part of her research program was focussed on the role of G-CSF in cancer, and more specifically how blocking G-CSF may be beneficial for cancer treatment. As such, she has a keen interest in seeing our lead anti-G-CSF antibody tested in a clinical setting. Dr. Morris is a standing member of the Cellular Immunotherapy of Cancer study section (2022-2026) at the NIH and previously served as a tenured Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair for Academic and Research Development in the Department of Surgery at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She is currently the managing partner of NW Surgical Oncology, LLC, based in Portland Oregon.
"Now that we have completed non-GLP toxicology studies on our lead G-CSF antibody candidate, we are excited to continue down the path towards our first-in-human clinical trial. The addition of Dr. Hanham and Dr. Morris provides the necessary regulatory and clinical expertise for us to successfully advance our first drug candidate to a pre-IND meeting with the FDA in the next several months." - Salim Dhanji, PhD, CEO of ME Therapeutics Holdings Inc.
The Company has agreed to pay the consultants' their respective standard hourly rates for services rendered to the Company pursuant to the terms and conditions of their respective agreements.
ME Therapeutics Holdings Inc.
Myeloid Enhancement (ME) Therapeutics is a preclinical stage, Vancouver based, biotechnology company involved in the discovery and development of novel immuno-oncology therapeutics targeting immune suppression in cancer. Our focus is on overcoming the suppressive effects of an important class of immune cells called myeloid cells to enhance anti-cancer immunity. For more information, please visit www.metherapeutics.com and the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Salim Dhanji"
Dr. Salim Dhanji
Chief Executive Officer and Director
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Salim Dhanji
Telephone: (236) 516-7714
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's engagement of technical consultants, the services to be rendered by such consultants, the expected benefits to be derived from their services, the compensation to be paid to such consultants, the Company's research plans, the intended outcomes of the research, the intended benefits and applications of the Company's technology, and the Company's plans for development of its business. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company, that the results of the testing are not favorable, G-CSF proves to be an unsuitable target to treat cancer, that the Company's myeloid targeted prodrug candidates prove ineffective during testing, that the services rendered by the consultants may not advance the Company's research or benefit the Company, and that the Company's business may not develop as set out in this news release. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ from forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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