Spring Bank Stops Dosing of Inarigivir Patients in Phase 2 Program

HOPKINTON, Mass., Dec. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of viral infections, inflammatory diseases and certain cancers, today announced that the company has stopped dosing and enrolling patients in its Phase 2b CATALYST trials, which are examining the use of inarigivir soproxil 400mg for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). In addition, the company has stopped dosing and enrollment in all other studies of inarigivir in subjects with chronic HBV.

The decision to stop the dosing of inarigivir 400mg in the Phase 2b CATALYST trials was due to clinical findings observed in the CATALYST 2 trial of virally-suppressed chronic HBV patients. Laboratory findings revealed that three subjects participating in this trial showed evidence of hepatocellular dysfunction and an elevation of alanine transaminase (ALT) potentially consistent with liver injury rather than immune flares. The company is investigating and analyzing the data to gain a better understanding of the findings and potential causes thereof and is further evaluating safety data across the almost 100 patients who have received inarigivir at this dose.

“We stopped dosing and enrolling patients out of an abundance of caution based on laboratory data from virally-suppressed patients in the CATALYST 2 trial. We are certainly disappointed to stop our current Phase 2 inarigivir trials, but ensuring patient safety and care is of paramount importance to us,” said Martin Driscoll, president and chief executive officer of Spring Bank. “Working with the members of our Data Safety Monitoring Board, clinical trial investigators and external experts, we will review all of the information available to us from the CATALYST 2 trial and all other inarigivir trials at the 400mg dose to determine the appropriate path forward for these trials.”

Conference Call

Spring Bank management will host a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. EST to discuss the company’s decision to stop dosing and enrolling patients in its Phase 2b CATALYST trials and its other inarigivir studies. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 407-0789 for U.S. callers and (201) 689-8562 for international callers and providing the conference ID 13697703. Additionally, a live, listen-only webcast of the conference call can be accessed by visiting the Investors & Media section of the company’s website at or by clicking . A replay of the call may be accessed by visiting Spring Bank’s website.

About Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals

Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of a novel class of therapeutics using its proprietary small molecule nucleotide platform. The company designs its compounds to selectively target and modulate the activity of specific proteins implicated in various disease states. The company’s lead product candidate, inarigivir, is being developed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). Inarigivir is designed to activate within hepatic cells retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I), which has been shown to inhibit HBV viral replication and induce the intracellular interferon signaling pathways for antiviral defense. The company is also developing its lead STING agonist product candidate, SB 11285, an immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of selected cancers. For more information, please visit .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, about Spring Bank’s future expectations, plans and prospects. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “potential,” “possible,” “hope,” “likelihood” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: Spring Bank’s ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its product candidates; any delay of any current or planned non-clinical or clinical trials or the development of any product candidate; whether Spring Bank’s product candidates will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis, or at all; whether Spring Bank’s cash resources will be sufficient to fund its continuing operations for the periods and/or trials anticipated; whether the results of such trials will warrant submission for approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether Spring Bank’s product candidates will receive approval from regulatory agencies on a timely basis or at all; whether, if product candidates obtain approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of Spring Bank’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 11, 2019 and in other filings Spring Bank makes with the SEC from time to time.

In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Spring Bank’s views as of the date hereof. Spring Bank anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Spring Bank’s views to change. However, while Spring Bank may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Spring Bank specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Spring Bank’s views as of any date after the date hereof.

Investors:

Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Jonathan Freve

Chief Financial Officer

(508) 473-5993

LifeSci Advisors, LLC

Ashley R. Robinson

(617) 535-7742

Media:

McNeil, Gray & Rice

Kristin Nugent

Senior Account Supervisor

(617) 367-0100

Source: Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc