Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE, "Sorrento")
announced today that it has discovered a small molecule termed
Salicyn-30 that demonstrated a potent 3-4 log reduction of
SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in an in vitro virus infection
experiment.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Sorrento has developed a program targeting the entire continuum of
care (for prevention, early treatment and rescue therapies) to
manage COVID-19 disease. It is Sorrento’s belief that multi-modal
therapies will naturally follow the approval of effective single
therapies, regardless of individual drug potential.
Using a drug repurposing strategy, Sorrento has
been looking for compounds that could synergistically supplement
its current antibody program and, in that process, screened a
collection of salicylanilide compounds of interest from a library
of molecules developed upon a chemical scaffolding known as
salicylanilides. In preliminary preclinical experiments,
comparative data generated thus far demonstrates Salicyn-30 may be
more effective than another salicylanilide, niclosamide, a small
molecule previously used to treat tapeworm infection, which has
recently entered clinical trials (NCT04372082) to examine its
effectiveness against COVID-19.
Drug repurposing for other diseases has gained
widespread attention in recent years as several such drugs have
been approved by the FDA. Moreover, in the global emergency of the
COVID-19 pandemic, this is one of the strategies being implemented
by both major pharma and academic efforts.
Sorrento’s intent on examining a salicylanilide
library as a starting point for targeting COVID-19 (and potentially
other coronaviruses) is grounded upon the concept that drug
repurposing, is generally cost and time effective, with the
potential for high returns and relatively low risk. Sorrento’s
unique approach goes beyond identifying an anti-viral drug through
repurposed molecule screening and is aimed at finding an optimal
small molecule candidate that could be further developed for its
potential to enhance the proprietary pipeline of clinical stage
neutralizing antibodies.
Salicyn-30 will be developed initially as a
stand-alone therapy to potentially reduce viral load in severely
affected patients. In parallel, its potential in combination with
Sorrento’s antibodies currently in development will be validated,
both for synergistic efficacy but also to ensure that the safety of
the combination therapy is established prior to human trials.
Dr. Henry Ji, Sorrento’s Chairman and CEO,
stated, “Salicyn-30 has shown exceptional therapeutic potential, it
is orally available and has greater systemic exposure besides being
more potent than other salicylanilide niclosamides in preclinical
trials to date. We see high potential value for this new small
molecule inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 either as a standalone therapeutic
or used in conjunction with the proprietary neutralizing antibodies
(nAbs) STI-1499 and affinity matured STI-2020 being developed by
our Company. Our ultimate goal is to be able to provide patients
with solutions at each stage of the COVID-19 disease continuum and
ensure all the therapeutic solutions we put forward work well
together and enhance each other.”
About Sorrento Therapeutics,
Inc.Sorrento is a clinical stage, antibody-centric,
biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancers
and COVID-19. 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"), antibody-drug conjugates ("ADCs"), and clinical
stage oncolytic virus ("Seprehvir®", “Seprehvec™”). Sorrento is
also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against
coronaviruses, including COVIDTRAP™, ACE-MAB™, COVI-MAB™,
COVI-GUARD™, COVI-SHIELD™, COVI-AMG™ and T-VIVA-19™; and diagnostic
test solutions, including COVI-TRACK™, COVI-STIX™ and
COVI-TRACE™.
Sorrento's commitment to life-enhancing
therapies 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.
RTX has completed a phase 1B 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 StatementsThis
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 Sorrento’s pipeline and
plans with respect to its clinical and pre-clinical COVID-19
programs, including Salicyn-30, STI-1499 and STI-2020; the
potential for Salicyn-30 to be used as a standalone therapeutic or
multi-modal therapy for the treatment of COVID-19; the potential
method for administration of Salicyn-30; the belief that
multi-modal therapies will naturally follow the approval of
effective single therapies; Salicyn-30's potency and its potency
relative to other salicylanilide niclosamides; time efficiencies
associated with drug repurposing, as well as the potential for high
returns and relatively low risk associated therewith; the potential
for Salicyn-30, STI-1499 and STI-2020 to work together and enhance
each other; the potential for Salicyn-30 to reduce viral load and
Sorrento’s COVID-19 therapeutic and diagnostic product candidates
and pipeline goals. 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, including, but not limited to 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 that prior
test, study and trial results may not be replicated in future
studies and trials; 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 therapeutic and diagnostic product
candidates’ strategies; risks related to the global impact of
COVID-19; 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.
ContactAlexis Nahama, DVM (SVP
Corporate Development)Email:
mediarelations@sorrentotherapeutics.com
Sorrento® and the Sorrento logo are registered
trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.G-MAB™, COVI-GUARDTM,
COVI-SHIELD™, COVI-AMG™, COVIDTRAP™, T-VIVA-19™, COVI-MAB™,
ACE-MABTM, COVI-TRACK™, COVI-STIX™ and COVI-TRACE™ are trademarks
of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
ZTlido® is a trademark owned by Scilex
Pharmaceuticals Inc.All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. © 2020 Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
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