Sunesis Pharmaceuticals to Provide Program Update for Non-Covalent BTK-Inhibitor Vecabrutinib at Analyst & Investor Event during ASH 2018

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNSS) today announced it will provide a program update for vecabrutinib, the Company’s oral, reversible, non-covalent, BTK inhibitor which is currently being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in adults with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other B-cell malignancies. The program will include data presented in the poster titled “Preliminary Safety, Pharmacokinetic, and Pharmacodynamic Results from a Phase 1b/2 Dose Escalation and Cohort-Expansion Study of the Noncovalent, Reversible Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (BTKi), Vecabrutinib, in B-Lymphoid Malignancies,” (Abstract No: 3141). This update will take place at a dinner event hosted by Sunesis during the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at 8:00 p.m. PT.  

Sunesis’ executive management team will present an update on vecabrutinib from the ongoing Phase 1b/2 dose-escalation study evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and antitumor activity of vecabrutinib in B-lymphoid malignancy patients with prior BTK therapy.  The Phase 1b/2 trial is an open-label, sequential-group study that is enrolling patients across eight leading sites in the United States.

The event will also feature a discussion with a key opinion leader in CLL, William G. Wierda, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Wierda is one of the principal investigators of Sunesis’ ongoing vecabrutinib trial.

The event on December 2 will begin at 8:00 p.m. PT and is intended for institutional investors and sell-side analysts only. Please contact maeve@argopartners.com for more information. A live webcast of the event, with slides, will be available on the Investors section of the Sunesis website at www.sunesis.com beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. PT, and will be subsequently archived for 90 days.

About Sunesis Pharmaceuticals

Sunesis is a biopharmaceutical company developing new therapeutics for the treatment of hematologic and solid cancers. Sunesis has built an experienced drug development organization committed to improving the lives of people with cancer. The Company is focused on advancing its novel kinase inhibitor pipeline, with an emphasis on its oral non-covalent BTK inhibitor vecabrutinib. Vecabrutinib is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b/2 study in adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other B-cell malignancies that have progressed after prior therapies. The Company’s proprietary PDK1 inhibitor SNS-510 is in preclinical development. PDK1 is a master kinase that activates other kinases important to cell growth and survival including members of the AKT, PKC, RSK, and SGK families. Sunesis plans to submit an IND for SNS-510 in 2019. Sunesis is exploring strategic alternatives for vosaroxin, a late-stage investigational product for relapsed or refractory AML. Sunesis also has an interest in the pan-RAF inhibitor TAK-580 which is licensed to Takeda. TAK-580 is in a clinical trial for pediatric low-grade glioma.

For additional information on Sunesis, please visit www.sunesis.com.

SUNESIS and the logos are trademarks of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the continued development of vecabrutinib (SNS-062), the timing of the Phase 1b/2 trial of vecabrutinib and the therapeutic potential of vecabrutinib, further development and potential of its kinase inhibitor pipeline, and planned development of SNS-510 and TAK-580. Words such as “expect,” “look forward,” “will” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Sunesis' current expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Sunesis' actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, the risk related to the timing or conduct of Sunesis' clinical trials, including the vecabrutinib Phase 1b/2 trial, the risk that Sunesis' clinical or preclinical studies for vecabrutinib, SNS-510 or other product candidate may not demonstrate safety or efficacy or lead to regulatory approval, the risk that data to date and trends may not be predictive of future data or results, risks related to the timing or conduct of Sunesis' clinical trials, that Sunesis' development activities for vecabrutinib or SNS-510 could be otherwise halted or significantly delayed for various reasons, that Sunesis may not be able to receive regulatory approval of vecabrutinib, or SNS-510 in the U.S. or Europe, and risks related to Sunesis' ability to raise the capital that it believes to be accessible and is required to fully finance the development and commercialization of vecabrutinib, SNS-510 and other product candidates. These and other risk factors are discussed under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Sunesis' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 and Sunesis' other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Sunesis expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein reflect any change in Sunesis' expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.