Spring Bank Announces Three Poster Presentations on Its Next-Generation STING Agonist Program at the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy


HOPKINTON, Mass., Nov. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of viral infections, inflammatory diseases and certain cancers, today announced it will present data from its next-generation STimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) agonist program in three poster presentations at the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy being held on November 27-30, 2018 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, FL. 

Spring Bank is developing multiple next-generation STING agonist compounds that are designed to activate the innate and adaptive immune systems. This immuno-therapeutic strategy has the potential to be transformative for certain cancer treatments. Spring Bank believes that its lead STING agonist development compound, SB 11285, could be used to treat multiple tumor types and has the potential to be used in combination with other therapeutic modalities to enhance efficacy. Subject to completion of IND-enabling studies, Spring Bank plans to initiate clinical trials for SB 11285 in 2019. SB 11285 could be the first intravenously (IV) administered STING agonist to enter clinical development.

The first poster, entitled Pharmacodynamic studies of SB 11285, a systemically bioavailable STING agonist in orthotopic tumor models, will describe the anti-tumoral activity of SB 11285 in multiple orthotopic and subcutaneous models.

The second poster presentation, entitled SB 11312, an active metabolite of SB 11285, is a potent and systemically bioavailable STING agonist, will highlight anti-tumor activity and safety of SB 11312 administered by multiple routes in syngeneic mouse models.

The third poster, entitled Mechanistic insights into the anti-tumor activity of SB 11285 – a novel STING agonist, provides insights into the mechanism of action of SB 11285 and its analogs. 

“We are excited to present data from our next-generation STING agonist program at this important conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, particularly in light of the recent presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conference describing the safety and efficacy profile of an intratumorally delivered STING agonist administered as monotherapy and in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor,” said Dr. Radhakrishnan Iyer, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Spring Bank. “We are developing our STING agonist portfolio to include best-in class compounds differentiated by their potential to be administered by both the IV and IT routes. In preclinical studies, our next-generation STING agonist candidates have shown potent and durable anti-tumor activity in multiple tumor models when administered by the IV or IT route. In 2019, we plan to advance our lead STING agonist candidate, SB 11285, into the clinic using both the IV and IT routes.”  

Presentation Details:

Poster B96  
Title: Pharmacodynamic studies of SB 11285, a systemically bioavailable STING agonist in orthotopic tumor models
Session: Poster Session B
Date/Time: Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Americana 3 and 4
   
Poster B88  
Title: SB 11312, an active metabolite of SB 11285, is a potent and systemically bioavailable STING agonist
Session: Poster Session B
Date/Time: Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m
Location: Americana 3 and 4
   
Poster B87  
Title: Mechanistic insights into the anti-tumor activity of SB 11285 – a novel STING agonist
Session: Poster Session B
Date/Time: Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Americana 3 and 4
   

About Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals
Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of a novel class of therapeutics using its proprietary small molecule nucleotide platform. The company designs its compounds to selectively target and modulate the activity of specific proteins implicated in various disease states. The company’s lead product candidate, inarigivir soproxil, is being developed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). Inarigivir is designed to selectively activate within infected cells retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I), which has been shown to inhibit HBV viral replication and induce the intracellular interferon signaling pathways for antiviral defense. The company is also developing its lead STING agonist product candidate, SB 11285, an immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of selected cancers.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release about Spring Bank’s future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the company’s plans to advance its lead STING agonist candidate to the clinic in 2019 and the potential modes of administration of such STING agonist candidates.

Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including whether Spring Bank’s product candidates will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis, or at all; whether Spring Bank’s cash resources will be sufficient to fund its continuing operations for the periods and/or trials anticipated; whether the results of such trials will warrant submission for approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether Spring Bank’s product candidates will receive approval from regulatory agencies on a timely basis or at all; whether, if product candidates obtain approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of Spring Bank’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 20, 2018, Spring Bank’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that have been filed with the SEC, and in other filings Spring Bank makes with the SEC from time to time.

In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Spring Bank’s views as of the date hereof. Spring Bank anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Spring Bank’s views to change. However, while Spring Bank may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Spring Bank specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Spring Bank’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

Contacts

Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Jonathan Freve
Chief Financial Officer
(508) 473-5993
jfreve@springbankpharm.com

LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Ashley R. Robinson
(617) 535-7742
Ashley@lifesciadvisors.com

Source: Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals