Potential acquisition of VyGen-Bio would
strengthen Coeptis' oncology pipeline by obtaining exclusive,
worldwide ownership rights to GEAR™ Platform and companion
diagnostic technologies
WEXFORD,
Pa., March 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Coeptis
Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: COEP) ("Coeptis" or "the
Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cell
therapy platforms for cancer, announced it has obtained the
exclusive right to negotiate towards the acquisition of VyGen-Bio,
Inc. or its assets. Coeptis intends to immediately commence its due
diligence review of VyGen-Bio's assets, including its IP and
knowhow related to rights to GEAR™ cell therapy and companion
diagnostic platforms, and, depending on the results of its due
diligence analysis, turn to negotiation of definitive deal
documents. VyGen-Bio's product candidates and platforms were
discovered by scientists at the world-renowned Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, including Dr. Arnika Wagner, who is expected to play a key
collaborative development role for Coeptis as the Company builds
its capabilities to develop treatments for cancer and gains
technologies to develop additional cell and gene
therapies.
This transaction, if finalized, would expand upon Coeptis'
collaboration with VyGen-Bio, which is currently focused on
CD38-GEAR-NK, a natural killer (NK) cell therapy for the treatment
of CD38+ cancers with an initial focus on multiple myeloma, and
CD38-Diagnostic, an in vitro diagnostic tool being developed to
help identify cancer patients who may be appropriate candidates for
anti-CD38 mAb therapy.
In the event a transaction is consummated, Coeptis would then be
in a position to advance the development of various GEAR-engineered
cells, including NK cells, T cells, and hematopoietic stem cells,
and to pursue development of GEAR-engineered cells for use in
combination with mAbs that target a potentially wide range of
receptor targets. Additional development options that would be
explored could include therapeutic modalities where the
antigen-specificity of mAbs is used, such as CAR-T and bispecific
antibodies for the treatment of a broad range of hematologic
malignancies and solid tumors.
"We believe that the acquisition of VyGen-Bio's GEAR Platform
would represent a significant inflection point in the growth of
Coeptis and our strategy to be a leader in the development of 'next
generation' cell therapy technologies for cancer and other
diseases," said Dave Mehalick,
President and CEO of Coeptis Therapeutics. "Our vision for GEAR is
bold and ambitious, as we believe this novel cell engineering
approach protects the integrity, fitness and function of the cell
while importantly shielding it from destruction by co-administered
mAbs. We believe the GEAR platform offers the potential to not only
improve existing cancer therapies, but further expand the use of
existing therapies in new indications."
"If we are able to successfully consummate an acquisition
transaction, we plan to initially focus on advancing the first GEAR
candidate, CD38-GEAR-NK, to the clinic for the treatment of
multiple myeloma and to concurrently engage in business development
activities to expand the GEAR Platform into new cell therapy
products via potential co-development and/or licensing
partnerships," Mehalick added.
GEAR was discovered by scientists at the Karolinska Institutet (KI), including Evren Alici M.D., Ph.D., Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren M.D., Ph.D., and Arnika
Kathleen Wagner Ph.D. Drs. Alici, Ljunggren, and Wagner are
founding members of VyGen-Bio and will continue to contribute in
the development of the technology platforms as members of Coeptis'
Scientific Advisory Board. Drs. Ljunggren and Alici are managing
directors of NextGenNK, an international Competence Center for the
development of next-generation NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies
based at KI and funded by Sweden's
innovations agency, Vinnova. KI is globally recognized for its
Nobel Assembly, which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or
Medicine.
"GEAR-NK cells, and ultimately all GEAR-engineered cells, are
being designed to potentially decrease side-effects associated with
certain mAb therapies and potentially reduce or eliminate the
'on-target-off-tumor' effect. As a Coeptis' SAB member, I look
forward to collaborating in the development of these technologies,
which may have widespread applicability in cancer and beyond,"
stated GEAR co-inventor, Dr. Wagner.
About Coeptis Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
Coeptis Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., together with its
subsidiaries including Coeptis Therapeutics,
Inc. and Coeptis Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., (collectively "Coeptis"), is a biopharmaceutical
company developing innovative cell therapy platforms for cancer
that have the potential to disrupt conventional treatment paradigms
and improve patient outcomes. Coeptis' product portfolio and rights
are highlighted by a universal, multi-antigen CAR T technology
licensed from the University of
Pittsburgh (SNAP-CAR), and a cell therapy technology
(CD38-GEAR-NK) and an in vitro diagnostic (CD38-Diagnostic)
targeting CD38-related cancers, which Coeptis is
developing with VyGen-Bio and leading medical researchers at
the Karolinska Institutet. Coeptis' business model is designed
around maximizing the value of its current product portfolio and
rights through in-license agreements, out-license agreements and
co-development relationships, as well as entering into strategic
partnerships to expand its product rights and offerings,
specifically those targeting cancer. The Company is headquartered
in Wexford, PA. For more information on Coeptis
visit https://coeptistx.com/.
About VyGen-Bio™, Inc.
VyGen-Bio is a discovery-stage, cell-based immunotherapy company
focused on the development of potentially transformational
technology platforms. GEAR-NK is a modified NK cell-based
therapeutic being designed to be co-administered with targeted
antibodies. The Company is also developing companion diagnostics
designed to potentially identify patient populations that may be
most likely to benefit from targeted antibody therapies.
Headquartered in Tampa, Florida on
the campus of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, VyGen-Bio is a
majority-owned subsidiary of Vycellix, Inc. (www.Vycellix.com). The
Company's platforms were discovered by scientists at Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden that collaborate with
VyGen-Bio. Additionally, VyGen-Bio is a Partner in "NextGenNK", an
international Competence Center for the development of
next-generation NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies based at KI
and funded by Sweden's innovations
agency, Vinnova. KI is globally recognized for its Nobel Assembly,
which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and statements of our management made in
connection therewith contain or may contain "forward-looking
statements" (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended). Forward-looking statements include statements
concerning our plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events
or performance, and underlying assumptions, and other statements
that are other than statements of historical facts. When we use
words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe,"
"expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar
expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, we are
making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
not a guarantee of future performance and involve significant risks
and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ
materially and perhaps substantially from our expectations
discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause
such differences include but are not limited to: (1) the inability
to maintain the listing of the Company's securities on the Nasdaq
Global Market following the business combination; (2) the risk that
the business combination disrupts current plans and operations of
Company as a result of the consummation of the business
combination; (3) the inability to recognize the anticipated
benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by,
among other things, competition, the ability of the Company to grow
and manage growth economically and hire and retain key employees;
(4) the risks that the Company's products in development fail
clinical trials or are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration or other applicable regulatory authorities; (5)
costs related to the business combination; (6) changes in
applicable laws or regulations; (7) the possibility that the
Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business,
and/or competitive factors; and (8) the impact of the global
COVID-19 pandemic on any of the foregoing risks and other risks and
uncertainties identified in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The foregoing list
of factors is not exclusive. All forward-looking statements are
subject to significant uncertainties and risks including, but not
limited, to those risks contained or to be contained in reports and
other filings filed by the Company with the SEC. For these reasons,
among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance
upon any forward-looking statements in this press release.
Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings made or
to be made with the SEC, which are available for review
at www.sec.gov. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise these
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that
arise after the date hereof unless required by applicable laws,
regulations, or rules.
CONTACTS
Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc.
Andy Galy, Sr. VP of Communications
andy.galy@coeptistx.com
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
Investors
Jon Nugent
jnugent@tiberend.com
Media
David
Schemelia
dschemelia@tiberend.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coeptis-therapeutics-secures-exclusive-rights-to-negotiate-to-acquire-transformational-cell-therapy-platform-to-enable-potent-combinatorial-immuno-oncology-treatment-strategies-301784036.html
SOURCE Coeptis Therapeutics