Moleculin Announces New Independent Study Expands Potential Use of Its Pancreatic Drug Candidate WP1122

Documented potential for drug candidate with characteristics like WP1122 to reverse immune suppression

HOUSTON, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moleculin Biotech, Inc., (Nasdaq: MBRX) ("Moleculin" or the "Company"), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology drug candidates, all of which are based on license agreements with The University of Texas System on behalf of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, today announced that a new mechanism of action may have been uncovered expanding the potential use of its inhibitor of glycolysis, WP1122.

A study recently published in the American Cancer Journal of Cancer Research (Am J Cancer Res 2018;8(9):1837-1846) involving researchers at MD Anderson and the Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute has found that 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) has the potential to decrease resistance to immune checkpoint blockade therapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in a process known as “glycosylation.”

“This study provides a strong rationale for targeting glycosylation with 2-DG in order to improve outcomes for TNBC,” commented Dr. Donald Picker, Moleculin’s Chief Science Officer.  “Historically, 2-DG hasn’t been successfully developed into a drug because of its lack of drug-like properties, including a very short half-life.  Fortunately, based on preclinical data, WP1122, a proprietary prodrug of 2-DG, appears to address that problem and significantly increases the circulation time of 2-DG and its ability to reach specific organs harboring tumors, including the pancreas.”

Walter Klemp, Moleculin’s Chairman and CEO added, “The timing of this discovery is perfect for us.  We were already pushing forward with IND-enabling preclinical testing of WP1122 for use in brain tumors and pancreatic cancer and now we see a significant expansion of its potential uses.”

About Moleculin Biotech, Inc.

Moleculin Biotech, Inc. is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology drug candidates, all of which are based on discoveries made at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The Company’s clinical stage drugs are Annamycin, an anthracycline designed to avoid multidrug resistance mechanisms with little to no cardiotoxicity being studied for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, more commonly referred to as AML, and WP1066, an immuno-stimulating STAT3 inhibitor targeting brain tumors, pancreatic cancer and AML. Moleculin Biotech is also engaged in preclinical development of additional drug candidates, including additional STAT3 inhibitors and compounds targeting the metabolism of tumors.

For more information about the Company, please visit .

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, the ability of WP1122 to show safety and efficacy in patients and the ability of Moleculin to obtain IND-enabling preclinical data. Although Moleculin Biotech believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may prove to have been materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Moleculin Biotech has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''anticipates,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''projects,'' ''intends,'' ''potential,'' ''may,'' ''could,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''approximately'' or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those discussed under Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our most recently filed Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and updated from time to time in our Form 10-Q filings and in our other public filings with the SEC.  Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contacts

Joe Dorame, Robert Blum or Joe Diaz

Lytham Partners, LLC

602-889-9700