Provectus Biopharmaceuticals Announces Acceptances of PV-10 Poster Presentations at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting


  • Metastatic neuroendocrine tumors; Advanced cutaneous melanoma
  • Intratumoral administration of PV-10 to visceral and superficial disease locations
  • Single-agent and combination therapy treatment settings

KNOXVILLE, TN, April 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Provectus (OTCQB: PVCT) today announced that data from clinical trials of lead investigational cancer agent PV-10 will be presented on two poster presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, held in Chicago, IL from May 31-June 4, 2019. Intratumoral injection of small molecule oncolytic immunotherapy PV-10 can yield immunogenic cell death in solid tumor cancers, stimulating tumor-specific reactivity in circulating T cells1-4 that may lead to a functional recruitment of the immune system.

Abstract #1:

  • Presentation: A Phase 1 Study of Oncolytic Immunotherapy of Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumours using Intralesional Rose Bengal Disodium: Cohort 1 results
  • Poster session: Gastrointestinal (Noncolorectal) Cancer (Monday, June 3, 9-11 AM)
  • Abstract number: 4102

Abstract #2:

  • Presentation: Phase 1b Study of PV-10 and PD-1 Blockade in Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma
  • Poster session: Melanoma/Skin Cancers (Monday, June 3, 1:15-4:15 PM)
  • Abstract number: 9559

About PV-10

PV-10 causes acute oncolytic destruction of injected tumors, releasing damage associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) and tumor antigens that initiate an immunologic cascade where local response by the innate immune system facilitates systemic anti-tumor immunity by the adaptive immune system. The DAMP release-mediated adaptive immune response activates lymphocytes, including CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and NKT cells, based on clinical and preclinical experience in multiple tumor types. T cell function can be further augmented by combining PV-10 with immune checkpoint inhibition.

PV-10 is undergoing clinical study for adult solid tumor cancers like melanoma and cancers of the liver (including metastatic symptomatic neuroendocrine tumors and metastatic uveal melanoma) and preclinical study for pediatric cancers like neuroblastoma5, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and osteosarcoma.

Orphan drug designation status has been granted to PV-10 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatments of metastatic melanoma in 2006, hepatocellular carcinoma in 2011, neuroblastoma in 2018, and ocular melanoma (including uveal melanoma) in 2019.

PV-10’s active pharmaceutical ingredient is rose bengal disodium (RB) (4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-2’,4’,5’,7’-tetraiodofluorescein disodium salt), a small molecule halogenated xanthene. PV-10 drug product is a bright rose red solution containing 10% w/v RB in 0.9% saline for injection, which is supplied in single-use glass vials containing 5 mL (to deliver) of solution and administered without dilution to solid tumors via intratumoral injection.

Provectus’ intellectual property includes a family of US and international patents that protect the process by which pharmaceutical grade RB and related xanthenes are produced, reducing the formation of previously unknown transhalogenated impurities that exist in commercial grade RB in uncontrolled amounts. The requirement to identify and control these substances is in accordance with International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines for the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredient that is suitable for clinical trial and commercial pharmaceutical use. US patent numbers are 8,530,675, 9,273,022, and 9,422,260; patent expirations range from 2030 to 2031.

About Provectus

Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Provectus or the Company) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new class of drugs based on an entirely- and wholly-owned family of chemical small molecules called halogenated xanthenes. Information about the Company’s clinical trials can be found at the NIH registry, www.clinicaltrials.gov. For additional information about Provectus, please visit the Company's website at www.provectusbio.com.

References

1.    Wachter et al. Functional Imaging of Photosensitizers using Multiphoton Microscopy. Proceedings of SPIE 4620, 143, 2002.

2.    Liu et al. Intralesional rose bengal in melanoma elicits tumor immunity via activation of dendritic cells by the release of high mobility group box 1. Oncotarget 7, 37893, 2016.

3.    Qin et al. Colon cancer cell treatment with rose bengal generates a protective immune response via immunogenic cell death. Cell Death and Disease 8, e2584, 2017.

4.    Liu et al. T cell mediated immunity after combination therapy with intralesional PV-10 and blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in a murine melanoma model. PLoS One 13, e0196033, 2018.

5.    Swift et al. Potent in vitro and xenograft antitumor activity of a novel agent, PV-10, against relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma. Onco Targets Ther 12:1293-1307, 2019.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. These statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, beliefs, estimates, and expectations and express management's current views of future performance, results, and trends and may be identified by their use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “will,” and other similar terms. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to materially differ from those described in the forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such statements are made as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements after this date.

Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to materially differ from those described in forward-looking statements include those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including those described in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018).

Contact:

Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Tim Scott, Ph.D.
President
Phone: (866) 594-5999