Market Newsdesk

SHANGHAI, China, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hywin Holdings Ltd. (“Hywin” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HYW), the third largest third-party wealth management service provider in China, today announced the closing of its previously announced initial public offering of 3,000,000 American Depositary Shares (the “ADSs”), at US$10.00 per ADS. Each ADS represents two Class A ordinary shares of the Company.

The Company raised a total of US$30 million in gross proceeds from the IPO, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions as well as other estimated offering expenses.

Network 1 Financial Securities Inc., Alexander Capital L.P. and Valuable Capital Limited are acting as bookrunners of the offering.

A registration statement related to these securities was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on March 25, 2021. This offering is being made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. A copy of the final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained, when available, by contacting Network 1 Financial Securities Inc. at 2 Bridge Avenue, Suite 241, Red Bank, NJ 07701, by email: [email protected], or by telephone: +1 (800)-886-7007.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Hywin Holdings Ltd.

Hywin (NASDAQ: HYW) is the third largest third-party wealth management service provider in China, with a 7.5% market share in terms of 2019 transaction value, according to CIC. Our primary services are wealth management, insurance brokerage, and asset management. Wealth management is currently our largest business segment, in which our onshore and offshore solution platform serves clients across generations. This unit markets and distributes investment products and funds that raise capital both privately and through public offerings. For more information, please visit https://ir.hywinwealth.com/

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “expect,” “aim,” “believe,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “is/are likely to,” “could” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For Investor and Media Inquiries Please Contact:

Investor Contact:

Hywin Holdings Ltd.
Ms. Jiawei Shen
Phone: +86 21-8013-3992
Email: [email protected]

The Blueshirt Group
Ms. Julia Qian
Phone: +1 973-619-3227
Email: [email protected]

Media contact:

ICR, Inc.
Mr. Ker Zheng
Phone: +86 139-2280-3249
Email: [email protected]

TORONTO, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital) today announced the launch of ETF series of Guardian Canadian Bond ETF and Guardian Canadian Sector Controlled Equity Fund (the Guardian Funds), which are expected to commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) when the market opens this morning.

These Guardian Funds continue the build-out of solutions that strive to improve risk-adjusted outcomes for investors in their Prosperity Journey. Guardian Capital aims to achieve this by using a thoughtful risk management approach, which combines long-term discipline with fundamental analysis.

“In an investment landscape that is frequently prioritizing the chase for short-term gains over risk management, these new offerings mirror two long-tenured mandates currently managed by Guardian Capital for institutions and high-net-worth investors, and are focused on delivering strong risk-adjusted long-term returns,” said Barry Gordon, Managing Director and Head of Canadian Retail Asset Management at Guardian Capital. “We believe these Guardian Funds fit seamlessly into our existing offerings focused on Guarding Your Prosperity Journey^™, providing two more ways for Canadian investors to capitalize on Guardian Capital’s expertise.”

For more details, visit: guardiancapital.com/investmentsolutions/.

About the Guardian Funds

Guardian Canadian Bond ETF (TSX:
GCBD) seeks to provide a high level of current interest income while at the same time preserving capital and seeking opportunities for capital appreciation by investing, directly or indirectly, primarily in Canadian bonds, debentures, notes or other evidence of indebtedness. This Guardian Fund uses a proactive, disciplined management approach while employing various analytical tools to identify investments that offer value on a relative basis, with a view to maximizing current income while preserving the prospect for some capital growth. Guardian Capital adheres to a risk management process that is designed to limit total exposure to individual issuers, diversify exposure to various term maturities and credit risks, and maintain portfolio liquidity.

Guardian Canadian Sector Controlled Equity Fund (TSX:
GCSC) seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital while maintaining steady current dividend income by investing, directly or indirectly, primarily in common shares or other equity-related securities issued by Canadian companies, with a focus on reducing exposure to resources. Guardian Capital seeks to identify companies that it believes have the potential to provide above-market returns with below-market risk using a rigorous fundamental approach to security selection, and generally aims to have reduced exposure to volatile resource-dependent sectors of the Canadian market.

Guardian Canadian Bond ETF has closed its initial offering of ETF units and Guardian Canadian Sector Controlled Equity Fund has closed its initial offering of unhedged ETF units (together with the ETF units, the Units). All Units of the Guardian Funds are denominated in Canadian dollars.

About Guardian Capital LP

Guardian Capital LP is the manager and portfolio manager of the Guardian Capital Funds, including the Guardian Funds. Additionally, Guardian Capital manages portfolios for defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans, insurance companies, foundations, endowments and investment funds. Guardian Capital is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian Capital Group Limited. For further information on Guardian Capital, please call 416-350-8899 or visit www.guardiancapital.com.

About Guardian Capital Group Limited

Guardian Capital Group Limited is a diversified financial services company founded in 1962. Guardian operates in two main business areas, Asset Management and Financial Advisory. As at December 31, 2020, Guardian had C$46 billion of assets under management and C$22 billion of assets under administration. Guardian offers institutional and private wealth investment management services; financial services to international investors; services to financial advisors in its national mutual fund dealer, securities dealer, and insurance distribution network; and maintains and manages a proprietary investment portfolio, which had a fair market value of C$633 million at December 31, 2020. Its Common and Class A shares are listed on the TSX; in 2019, Guardian celebrated 50 years as a listed company. To learn more about Guardian, visit www.guardiancapital.com.

For further information, please contact:
Angela Shim
(416) 947-8009

This communication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase Guardian Funds and is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax, legal or accounting advice, and should not be relied upon in that regard. Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in Guardian Funds. Please read the prospectus before investing. Important information about the Guardian Funds is contained in their prospectus. Guardian Funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Units of a Guardian Fund on the TSX. If the Units are purchased or sold on the TSX, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Units of the Guardian Fund and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

Rookie League brings baseball and mentorship to 14,000 Canadian kids

 
Programs run in partnership with Toronto Community Housing, Indigenous communities, and Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada

Canadians can help send more kids to summer camp by donating in Rogers retail stores or online

TORONTO, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Blue Jays fans across Canada eagerly anticipate the start of the 2021 season, Rogers Communications today announced the launch of a new fundraising campaign in support of Jays Care Foundation’s Rookie League program, which helps kids facing barriers develop important life skills, while building confidence, resilience, and having fun. Starting today and running through the end of the year, the new fundraising campaign called “It’s More Than a Game” makes it easy for Canadians to support Rookie League and foster lasting social change in communities across Canada.

With more than a million Canadian children living in low-income households, Rookie League programs help remove financial barriers and create opportunities to ensure all youth can access programs like this. Rookie League uses the power of baseball and the appeal of the Toronto Blue Jays to help empower youth facing barriers become leaders beyond the ballpark.

As Jays Care Foundation’s largest funding partner, Rogers has provided more than $10 million to the foundation’s youth programs over the last decade. Now, Canadians can easily donate in a number of ways, including online, as an add-to-cart option at Today’s Shopping Choice (TSC), or at select Rogers store locations across Canada.

Jays Care’s Rookie League program is delivered to more than 14,000 Canadian children and youth across 10 provinces and two territories, in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs, Indigenous organizations, and Toronto Community Housing. The summer camp programs, in-person or now held virtually for the second year in a row, are delivered by teen and adult staff trained by Jays Care Foundation and offered to youth who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in camps or sport due to socio-economic or geographical barriers.

This fundraising initiative to support Rookie League is part of a longstanding partnership between Rogers and Jays Care Foundation. In 2020, the partnership supported virtual summer camps for youth, built and refurbished Canadian baseball diamonds as part of Field Of Dreams, distributed more than a thousand adaptive home baseball kits for youth with disabilities enrolled in Challenger Baseball, awarded almost 60 Ted Rogers Scholarships for Jays Care-nominated youth since 2017, and last summer’s Step Up to the Plate food hamper initiative and donations provided 9 million meals for food banks across Canada.

QUOTES:

“The social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially challenging for kids and families facing barriers across the country. At Jays Care, we are deeply committed to supporting these families through providing best-in-class sport for development programming that removes social isolation and keeps kids physically active. With the backing of our incredible partners, we are looking forward to a great year of Rookie League as we continue to strive towards our vision of a level playing field for all children and youth across Canada.”
   –   Jules Porter, Director of Programs, Jays Care Foundation

“Rookie League programs ensure thousands of Canadian youth can participate in fun, interactive, and empowering programs designed for their well-being and development. Every young person deserves the chance to connect with trusted mentors and each other – especially now. Rogers is proud to use the power of our connections and channels to help make a lasting impact in the lives of youth across the country.”
   –   Sevaun Palvetzian, Chief Communications Officer and lead for Corporate Responsibility at Rogers

“The Rookie League program, developed in partnership between the Kenora Chiefs Advisory and Jays Care, has had a dramatically positive impact on our entire community, not just the youth. Rooted in Indigenous culture, tradition and ceremony, Rookie League is a true community-builder, bringing together Elders and youth and everyone in between to promote mental health, healing and reconciliation. Recognized by the Assembly of First Nations, the program has expanded into other treaty areas and our dream is the establishment of a National Indigenous Rookie League.”
   –   Chief Lorraine Cobiness, Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation

“The Rookie League program has had such a positive impact on kids in our community. We’ve seen children gain confidence, develop leadership skills, feel a sense of belonging and take massive strides in reaching their potential through the program. Kids have also been able to build positive relationships with other kids and positive adults. We believe it is vital that more kids across Canada have access to programs like Rookie League.”
   –   Wendy Serink, Executive Director, Fort Saskatchewan Boys and Girls Club, in Alberta

“Last summer, when the pandemic limited the number of kids we could serve in our in-Club day camps, Rookie League’s support enabled us to develop and run free, virtual, and interactive camps for 100 Halifax-area kids. We heard how this program alleviated their feelings of stress and isolation. They were holding dance parties, scavenger hunts, science experiments, and a lot of other engaging activities.”
   –   Henk van Leeuwen, CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Halifax, in Nova Scotia

“I am thankful for the Rookie League program and everything it has done for me. I was able to meet new people from my community and make new friends. It helped me come out of my shell, be creative, build up communication skills and become more confident in myself. Rookie League has wonderful staff that gives you a place to develop your skills and learn new things you didn’t know about yourself. I learned baseball and other sports which helped me to be more active and believe in myself.”
   –   Gideon – Rookie Leaguer with Toronto Community Housing

“Being a part of Rookie League has helped me unlock my true leadership potential. It has taught me things I didn’t know I had in me: working together as a team, having fun and playing sports. Rookie League has made a great effort to keep it engaging and fun for me that I want to say thank you. Thank you for making me a better person, being able to learn more about my true self, and being able to show it to the world.”
   –   Malakai – Rookie Leaguer with Toronto Community Housing

About Rogers

Rogers is a proud Canadian company dedicated to making more possible for Canadians each and every day. Our founder, Ted Rogers, purchased his first radio station, CHFI, in 1960. We have grown to become a leading technology and media company that strives to provide the very best in wireless, residential, sports, and media to Canadians and Canadian businesses. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). If you want to find out more about us, visit about.rogers.com.

About Jays Care Foundation

Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays, uses baseball as a tool to teach life skills and create lasting social change for over 35,000 children and youth across Canada. Jays Care proudly works in all ten provinces and two territories running community programs to level the playing field for Canadian kids facing barriers. The organization has also invested over $10 million through Field Of Dreams to support the building or refurbishment of more than 100 diamonds and recreation spaces. In 2020, Jays Care was awarded MLB’s Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence recognizing the Blue Jays Community Commitment, a $7.5 million COVID-19 response plan that supported those disproportionately affected by the pandemic across Canada.

For more information:

Rogers Communications, [email protected], 1-844-226-1338
Jays Care Foundation, Ben Sibley, [email protected], 647-449-4605

NEW YORK, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (“Anavex” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: AVXL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Rett syndrome and other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, today announced that the Independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) for the Company’s Phase 2b/3 Alzheimer’s disease study of its investigational compound ANAVEX^®2-73 (blarcamesine) has completed its recent pre-planned review of the preliminary Phase 2b/3 study data.

As specified in the protocol, the DSMB reviewed the interim safety data for the ANAVEX^®2-73 Phase 2b/3 Alzheimer’s disease clinical study ANAVEX^®2-73-AD-004 and its Open Label Extension (OLE) ANAVEX^®2-73-AD-EP-004 ATTENTION-AD study.

Upon review of the interim safety data, the DSMB made the following recommendation:

• The DSMB recommendation is to continue the studies without modification.

DSMBs are committees commonly used in clinical trials to protect the interests of the patients and the integrity of the study data in ongoing trials.

ANAVEX^®2-73 activates the sigma-1 receptor (SIGMAR1). Data suggests that activation of SIGMAR1 results in the restoration of complete housekeeping function within the body and is pivotal to restoring neural cell homeostasis and promoting neuroplasticity.¹

PET scan data previously confirmed dose-dependent target engagement of SIGMAR1 with ANAVEX^®2-73.²

The ongoing placebo-controlled 450-patient Phase 2b/3 ANAVEX^®2-73 clinical study in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is presently over 92% enrolled and includes prespecified SIGMAR1 gene expression as endpoints using ADAS-Cog (cognition) and ADCS-ADL (activities of daily living and function) as primary endpoints.³

Anavex Life Sciences’ product portfolio includes small drug molecule lead candidate ANAVEX^®2-73 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Rett syndrome.

About ANAVEX^®2-73-AD-004 Clinical Study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03790709) and OLE ANAVEX^®2-73-AD-EP-004 Clinical Study ATTENTION-AD (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04314934)

ANAVEX^®2-73-AD-004 clinical study is a Phase 2b/3 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 48-week safety and efficacy trial of ANAVEX^®2-73 for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease. The Phase 2b/3 study is expected to enroll approximately 450 patients, randomized 1:1:1 to two different ANAVEX^®2-73 doses or placebo. The ANAVEX^®2-73 Phase 2b/3 study design includes genomic precision medicine biomarkers identified in the previous ANAVEX^®2-73 Phase 2a study (ANAVEX2-73-002, NCT02244541). Primary and secondary endpoints will assess safety and both cognitive and functional efficacy, measured through ADAS-Cog, ADCS-ADL and CDR-SB. ANAVEX^®2-73 Phase 2a Alzheimer’s disease study previously demonstrated dose dependent improvement in exploratory endpoints of cognition (MMSE) and function (ADCS-ADL).⁴ ANAVEX^®2-73-AD-EP-004 is the 96-week open label extension of the placebo-controlled Phase 2b/3 ANAVEX^®2-73 study.

About Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. An estimated 5.7 million Americans have currently Alzheimer’s dementia. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among older adults and is estimated to rank as the third leading cause of death for older people in the United States, just behind heart disease and cancer. In 2020, Alzheimer’s and other dementias cost the nation $305 billion. By 2050, these costs could rise as high as $1.1 trillion.⁵ There are currently over 50 million people living with dementia around the world, with numbers expected to increase to nearly 152 million by 2050.⁶ Almost 10 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed each year worldwide, implying one new case every 3 seconds, and a significant increase in the caregiving burden placed on society and families.⁷

About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: AVXL) is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Rett syndrome and other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of cancer. Anavex’s lead drug candidate, ANAVEX^®2-73 (blarcamesine), recently completed successfully a Phase 2a clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in Parkinson’s disease dementia and a Phase 2 study in adult patients with Rett syndrome. ANAVEX^®2-73 is an orally available drug candidate that restores cellular homeostasis by targeting sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors. Preclinical studies demonstrated its potential to halt and/or reverse the course of Alzheimer’s disease. ANAVEX^®2-73 also exhibited anticonvulsant, anti-amnesic, neuroprotective and anti-depressant properties in animal models, indicating its potential to treat additional CNS disorders, including epilepsy. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research previously awarded Anavex a research grant, which fully funded a preclinical study to develop ANAVEX^®2-73 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. ANAVEX^®3-71, which targets sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors, is a promising clinical stage drug candidate demonstrating disease-modifying activity against the major hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, including cognitive deficits, amyloid and tau pathologies. In preclinical trials, ANAVEX^®3-71 has shown beneficial effects on mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation. Further information is available at www.anavex.com. You can also connect with the company on Twitter,Facebook and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including the risks set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

For Further Information:

Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Research & Business Development
Toll-free: 1-844-689-3939
Email: [email protected]

Investors:

Andrew J. Barwicki
Investor Relations

Tel: 516-662-9461
Email: [email protected]

_{_____________________________________}

<sub>¹ Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Volume 964 (2017) Sigma Receptors: Their Role in Disease and as Therapeutic Targets.


² https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-189177/v1/65385792-095a-4505-90c4-c0b85c76dbd1.pdf.


³ ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03790709.


⁴ Hampel H. et al. (2020). A precision medicine framework using artificial intelligence for the identification and confirmation of genomic biomarkers of response to an Alzheimer’s disease therapy: Analysis of the blarcamesine (ANAVEX2‐73) Phase 2a clinical study. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 6(1), e12013.


⁵
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers; https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures.


⁶ Alzheimer’s Disease International. World Alzheimer Report 2019. https://www.alz.co.uk/research/WorldAlzheimerReport2019.pdf.


⁷ AARP. 2020 Report: Caregiving in the U.S. https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2020/05/full-report-caregiving-in-the-united-states.doi.10.26419-2Fppi.00103.001.pdf.</sub>

– New capital will fund lead antibody, OR2805, through Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies

– 
Adds Magnetar Group, Yonjin Ventures and Bering Capital to the syndicate

SEATTLE, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OncoResponse, a biotechnology company harnessing the power of the human immune system to identify and develop novel monoclonal antibodies to immunosuppressive myeloid targets for cancer immunotherapy, today announced that it has raised $40.6 million in a Series C financing. Proceeds will be used to advance the Company’s lead antibody, OR2805, into clinical development in multiple tumor types and fund a pipeline of preclinical assets to IND.  

OncoResponse’s drug candidates are derived from a proprietary screening technology platform that discovers antibodies from the immune systems of patients who have responded exceptionally well to cancer immunotherapies.   OncoResponse has developed a pipeline of antibodies that modulate immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and have shown to enhance immune activation and promotion of tumor killing in vitro and in vivo.

The financing was led by members of the Magnetar Group with participation from additional new investors Yonjin Venture and Bering Capital along with existing investors RiverVest Venture Partners, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Redmile Group, 3B Future Health Fund (Helsinn Investment Fund), Canaan Partners and ARCH Venture Partners.

In connection with the financing, Ted Koutouzis, MD from the Magnetar Group, Daguang Wang, PhD from Yonjin Venture and Patrick Joseph Hojlo from Qatar Investment Authority will join the board of directors of OncoResponse.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new investors into our Series C raise that will fund our programs through meaningful value inflection points” said Clifford J. Stocks, CEO of OncoResponse. “Our lead antibody, OR2805, was derived from a cancer patient who had an exceptional response to anti-PD-1 therapy and relieves the immunosuppressive effect of macrophages found in the TME to promote tumor killing by T cells. We will be entering clinical studies in multiple tumor types later this year.”

“We are very excited to join the OncoResponse syndicate to further advance the cancer immunotherapies emanating from this unique discovery platform.” commented Ted Koutouzis, MD, Managing Director for the affiliate group at Magnetar.

About OncoResponse

OncoResponse, Inc., an immuno-oncology focused biotech company, in a broad strategic alliance with MD Anderson Cancer Center uses a proprietary B-cell technology platform to mine the immune system of cancer patients who have responded to cancer immunotherapy to discover novel targets and antibodies and develop therapeutic monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer. OncoResponse is focused on discovery and development of fully human antibodies directed at modulating immunosuppression of the tumor microenvironment to increase response rates and provide more cures for cancer patients. OncoResponse, Inc. is a privately held company backed by investment from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Magnetar Group, Yonjin Venture, Bering Capital, Rivervest Venture Partners, Qatar Investment Authority, Redmile Group, ARCH Venture Partners, GreatPoint Ventures, 3B Future Health Fund (Helsinn Investment Fund), Canaan Partners, Baxalta Ventures, Buchang Pharma, Alexandria Real Estate Equities and William Marsh Rice University. For more information please visit: www.oncoresponseinc.com.

Investor Contact:

Solebury Trout
John Graziano
+1 646-378-2942
[email protected]

Proceeds will fund Phase II clinical trials of PolyPEPI-1018, the Company’s off-the-shelf polypeptide immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer

Financing was led by
Luminous Ventures and the UK Government’s Future Fund

Isabel Fox, Co-Managing Partner at Luminous Ventures, joins Treos’ Board of Directors

LONDON, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Treos Bio Limited (“Treos”), a clinical stage biotechnology company using data science and proprietary biomarkers to develop precision off-the-shelf and personalized peptide cancer immunotherapies, today announced that it closed a $14 million convertible loan note financing. The financing was led by Luminous Ventures and the UK Government’s Future Fund, both first-time investors in Treos. In addition, Isabel Fox, Co-Managing Partner of Luminous Ventures, joined Treos’ Board of Directors.

The proceeds will fund Phase II clinical trials of lead candidate PolyPEPI-1018, the Company’s off-the-shelf investigational precision cancer immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer (MSS mCRC). In an earlier Phase I/II study in patients with MSS mCRC, PolyPEPI-1018 was shown to induce robust antigen-specific T cell responses and durable anti-tumor responses.

“We are pleased to invest in Treos and to support the clinical development of the Company’s novel cancer immunotherapy technology, which applies proprietary data science to digitally match the antigens expressed by a specific cancer to the individual patients’ genetics,” said Isabel Fox, Co-Managing Partner at Luminous Ventures. “Using new biomarkers, scientists at Treos have created an exciting platform to develop polypeptide immunotherapies that can potentially result in a clinical benefit for patients with many types of difficult-to-treat solid tumors.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Isabel to Treos’ Board and we are proud to partner with Luminous Ventures and the UK Government’s Future Fund, as their backing enables us to continue to refine our proprietary computational platform and advance our precision immunotherapy technology in the treatment of cancer,” said Dr. Christopher C. Gallen, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Treos. “Following this inflection point, we look forward to the initiation of two clinical trials within the next six months assessing PolyPEPI-1018 as an add-on to first line maintenance therapy and third line treatment in patients with MSS mCRC.”

About Treos Bio Limited

Treos Bio uses computational data science and proprietary biomarkers to develop precision off-the-shelf and personalized peptide cancer immunotherapies. The Company has developed a unique ability to match the antigens expressed by a specific cancer to the individual patient’s target recognition mechanism. This technology aims to address the challenge of the variability of individual patient’s clinical responses to cancer immunotherapies. Treos’ lead candidate is PolyPEPI-1018, an off-the-shelf immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, co-developed with a candidate companion diagnostic. Treos is developing personalized immunotherapies for several types of solid tumors and has completed preclinical development of off-the-shelf PolyPEPI immunotherapies in ovarian, breast, bladder, gastric and lung cancers and melanoma. The Company is also developing an investigational COVID-19 peptide vaccine, PolyPEPI-SCoV-2. Treos launched in February 2017 and has raised $28 million Series A funding led by shareholders of BXR Group. More information can be found at www.treosbio.com.

About Luminous Ventures

Luminous Ventures is a London-based VC fund investing in deep tech with a focus on the application of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, edge computing, robotics, quantum technologies and synthetic biology to healthcare, life science, nutrition and food in Europe and North America. 

About the UK Government’s Future Fund

The UK Government’s Future Fund was established to support the UK’s innovative businesses currently affected by Covid-19. These businesses have been unable to access other government business support programmes, such as CBILS, because they are either pre-revenue or pre-profit and typically rely on equity investment. The Future Fund, now closed to new applications, provides eligible companies with convertible loans, on the condition that private investors at least match the government’s commitment. The convertible loans are designed to convert into equity at the next qualifying funding round. The Future Fund is developed by the government and delivered by the British Business Bank.

Media Contact:

Solebury Trout
Zara Lockshin
+1-646-378-2960
[email protected]

Investor Contact:

Solebury Trout
Alan Lada
+1-646-378-2927
[email protected]

 

STAMFORD, Conn., March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CARA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pruritus by selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors, or KORs, today announced that the Company will host a virtual research and development (R&D) event on April 7 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. The virtual event will include a presentation and interactive Q&A session to explore Cara’s first-in-class KOR agonist, KORSUVA™ (difelikefalin), being investigated for the treatment of chronic pruritus in systemic, dermatological, and neurological indications.

In addition to Cara’s management team, featured guest presenters will include:

Brian Kim, M.D., MTR, FAAD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Pathology and Immunology; Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, MO

Mark Lebwohl, M.D., Professor and Dean for Clinical Therapeutics, Chairman Emeritus, Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY

Virtual Event Details:

A live audio webcast of the presentation with accompanying slides will be accessible under “Events & Presentations” in the News & Investors section of the Company’s website at www.CaraTherapeutics.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Company’s website following the presentation.

About Cara Therapeutics

Cara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pruritus by selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors, or KORs. Cara is developing a novel and proprietary class of product candidates, led by KORSUVA™ (CR845/difelikefalin), a first-in-class KOR agonist that targets the body’s peripheral nervous system, as well as certain immune cells. In two Phase 3 trials, KORSUVA Injection has demonstrated statistically significant reductions in itch intensity and concomitant improvement in quality of life measures in hemodialysis patients with moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and granted Priority Review for the New Drug Application (NDA) for KORSUVA™ (difelikefalin) solution for injection for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pruritus in hemodialysis patients. The PDUFA target action date for KORSUVA is August 23, 2021. Oral KORSUVA™ has successfully completed a Phase 2 trial for the treatment of pruritus in patients with CKD and is currently in Phase 2 trials in atopic dermatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and notalgia paresthetica patients with moderate-to-severe pruritus.

The FDA has conditionally accepted KORSUVA™ as the trade name for difelikefalin solution for injection. Difelikefalin is an investigational drug product and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of these forward-looking statements include statements concerning the potential regulatory approval of KORSUVA™ solution for injection and the potential timeline for FDA review of the NDA and the potential of KORSUVA™ to be a therapeutic option for CKD-aP or pruritus in other systemic, dermatological, and/or neurological indications. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks are described more fully in Cara’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” section of Cara’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, Cara undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Claire LaCagnina
6 Degrees
315-765-1462
[email protected]

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Janhavi Mohite
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
[email protected]