SORRENTO DEVELOPS STI-4398 (COVIDTRAP™ PROTEIN) FOR POTENTIAL PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF SARS-COV-2 CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (C...
March 20 2020 - 7:00AM
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE, "Sorrento") announced it
has produced a preclinical batch of the STI-4398 (COVIDTRAP)
protein to immediately commence testing its neutralization and
blocking activity in preventing SARS-CoV-2 virus from infecting
ACE2-expressing cells.
STI-4398 is a proprietary ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme
2)-Fc fusion protein (COVIDTRAP). The STI-4398 protein binds to the
S1 domain of the spike protein, which is expected to block the
spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to bind the ACE2 receptors
present on the target respiratory epithelial cells. Without the
ability to penetrate target cells, the SARS-CoV-2 virus cannot
replicate and spread itself. By interfering with the viral
infection cycle, STI-4398 might be the most effective way to
prevent an infection to progress to a fully advanced COVID-19
disease. This approach could be ideal in generating passive
immunity and shielding at-risk populations, including healthcare
providers, the elderly population or patients with compromised
immune systems, from developing the COVID-19 disease after viral
exposure.
The STI-4398 COVIDTRAP preserves the ACE2 enzyme activity in
converting angiotensin II to angiotensin 1-7, resulting in reduced
vasoconstriction and increased blood flow to the infected lung
tissue. It could potentially confer organ protection and lessen
severe acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19 patients.
Although STI-4398’s primary functionality is to interfere with the
viral infection cycle, the COVIDTRAP protein with active ACE2
enzyme may have therapeutic potential for late-stage COVID-19
disease.
STI-4398 has been engineered to have a prolonged half-life in
the human blood circulation, which may allow it to be used
prophylactically to confer short-term and durable passive immunity
(with repeated doses) to those that are regularly exposed to the
virus (healthcare workers) or are at particular risk following an
exposure event (elderly, patients with hypertension or
immune-compromised patients).
In vitro cell studies for SARS-CoVID-2 virus infection and
neutralization are expected to be conducted in the next few weeks
in collaboration with world-leading coronavirus experts.
Sorrento scientists are in parallel working speedily to generate
a stable CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) manufacturing cell line that
would enable high-yield cGMP production of the COVIDTRAP fusion
protein. Sorrento’s approximately 300,000 square feet of
state-of-the-art R&D and cGMP facilities in San Diego, CA and
Suzhou, China are dedicated to therapeutic antibodies and protein
production and cell therapies, as well as its fill-and-finish cGMP
facilities. These existing manufacturing infrastructures and
capacity are available for rapid and significant scaled-up
manufacturing to meet emergency demand following successful human
trials. Sorrento currently anticipates it will complete the
enabling studies for an expedited IND filing in the next few
months.
“The COVIDTRAP candidate product developed by our scientists in
the past month follows the similar approach we take to developing
immune-oncology products for suppressing and/or killing off cancer
cells by targeting specific tumor targets on cancer cells. We
believe the same approach works for deadly viral diseases,” stated
Dr. Henry Ji, Chairman and CEO of Sorrento Therapeutics. “Our
immuno-therapy expertise is relevant and applicable to the COVID-19
disease. We are looking forward to quickly demonstrating our
COVIDTRAP’s safety and efficacy in IND-enabling preclinical studies
and clinical trials and make this potentially life-saving medicine
available in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”
About Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
Sorrento is a clinical stage, antibody-centric,
biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat
cancers. Sorrento's multimodal multipronged approach to fighting
cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms,
including key assets such as fully human antibodies (“G-MAB™
library”), clinical stage immuno-cellular therapies (“CAR-T”,
“DAR-T”), intracellular targeting antibodies (“iTAbs”),
antibody-drug conjugates (“ADC”), and clinical stage oncolytic
virus (“Seprehvir®”).
Sorrento's commitment to Saving-LifeTM and Improving-LifeTM
medicine and therapy for patients is also demonstrated by our
effort to advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain
management small molecule, resiniferatoxin (“RTX”), and ZTlido®
(lidocaine topical system) 1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic
neuralgia. Resiniferatoxin is completing a phase IB trial for
intractable pain associated with cancer and a phase 1B trial in
osteoarthritis patients. ZTlido® was approved by the FDA on
February 28, 2018.
For more information visit www.sorrentotherapeutics.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any statements made for and during any
presentation or meeting contain forward-looking statements related
to Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe harbor provisions of
Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking
statements include statements regarding the expected timing for the
completion of ongoing studies for the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2
virus using STI-4398 COVIDTRAP and data read-outs related
thereto; the expected timing for commencing and completing
registrational studies and for submitting an IND application for
STI-4398 COVIDTRAP for the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus; the
therapeutic potential for STI-4398 COVIDTRAP for late-stage
COVID-19 disease; STI-4398 COVIDTRAP’s ability to treat and prevent
coronaviruses; STI-4398 COVIDTRAP’s expected half-life; and
Sorrento’s potential position in the anti-viral immunity
industry. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual
results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in
our forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to:
risks related to Sorrento's and its subsidiaries', affiliates’ and
partners’ technologies and prospects and collaborations with
partners, including, but not limited to risks related to conducting
pre-clinical trials and seeking IND regulatory approval for
STI-4398 COVIDTRAP; conducting and receiving results of clinical
trials for STI-4398 COVIDTRAP; the clinical and commercial success
of the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus infections using STI-4398
COVIDTRAP; the viability and success of using STI-4398 COVIDTRAP
for treatments in anti-viral therapeutic areas, including
coronaviruses; clinical development risks, including risks in the
progress, timing, cost, and results of clinical trials and product
development programs; risk of difficulties or delays in obtaining
regulatory approvals; risks that clinical study results may not
meet any or all endpoints of a clinical study and that any data
generated from such studies may not support a regulatory submission
or approval; risks of manufacturing and supplying drug product;
risks related to leveraging the expertise of its employees,
subsidiaries, affiliates and partners to assist the company in the
execution of its STI-4398 COVIDTRAP strategies; and other risks
that are described in Sorrento's most recent periodic reports filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Sorrento's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019,
and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors set
forth in those filings. Investors are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of this release and we undertake no obligation to
update any forward-looking statement in this press release except
as required by law.
Media and Investor Relations
Contact: Alexis Nahama, DVM (SVP Corporate Development)
Telephone: 1.858.203.4120
Email: mediarelations@sorrentotherapeutics.com
Sorrento® and the Sorrento logo are registered trademarks of
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.COVIDTRAP™, Saving-LifeTM and
Improving-LifeTM are trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics,
Inc.ZTlido® and G-MAB™ are trademarks owned by Scilex
Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sorrento, respectively.Seprehvir®, is a
registered trademark of Virttu Biologics Limited, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of TNK Therapeutics, Inc. and part of the
group of companies owned by Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2020
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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