TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Antibe Therapeutics Inc. (“Antibe”) (TSXV: ATE, OTCQX: ATBPF), a commercial-stage pharmaceutical growth company, continues to demonstrate the anti-cancer potential of its lead drug, ATB-346. In a separate study earlier this year, ATB-346 was shown to be very effective in reversing colon and intestinal tumour growth in mice. Further to this study, a new publication has shown promising results in the chemoprevention and treatment of melanoma in mice. Melanoma is one of the most drug-resistant and invasive types of cancer, and both the incidence and mortality rates are increasing.

“Although we remain focused on our ongoing human studies to advance ATB-346 as a treatment for pain and inflammation, we have compelling data from studies of colon cancer and now melanoma,” commented John Wallace, Chief Scientific Officer of Antibe. “We are encouraged by these preliminary data and plan to continue this research in support of the potential advancement of ATB-346 into selected cancer indications.”

In the new publication, Dr. Angela Ianaro’s laboratory at the University of Naples (Italy), in collaboration with Dr. Wallace, examined the possibility that ATB-346 may have greater beneficial effects in terms of reducing melanoma than naproxen, the most-prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (“NSAID”) in the USA. NSAIDs have been shown to reduce tumour growth, but they also cause significant gastrointestinal bleeding. In contrast, ATB-346 has been shown to be GI-safe in animal studies.

The effects of ATB-346 were first compared to naproxen in an in vitro melanoma model, and was found to be much more effective. The investigators then implanted melanoma cells into mice, and monitored the growth of tumours. Treatment with naproxen had a modest beneficial effect, reducing tumour volume by 23% and tumour weight by 20%. In contrast, treatment with an equivalent dose of ATB-346 was 3-times more effective, reducing tumour volume by 69% and tumour weight by 61%. Mechanistic studies confirmed that ATB-346 was more effective in promoting death (apoptosis) of cancer cells.

The article was published online in the September issue of the journal “Pharmacological Research” and can be found at: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661816304467

About Antibe Therapeutics Inc.

Antibe develops safer medicines for pain and inflammation. Antibe’s technology involves linking a hydrogen sulfide-releasing molecule to an existing drug to produce a patented, improved medicine. Antibe’s lead drug ATB-346 targets the global need for a safer, non-addictive drug for chronic pain and inflammation. ATB-352, the second drug in Antibe’s pipeline, targets the urgent global need for a non-addictive analgesic for treating severe acute pain, while ATB-340 is a GI-safe derivative of aspirin. www.antibethera.com.

Antibe’s subsidiary, Citagenix Inc. (“Citagenix”), is a leader in the sales and marketing of tissue regenerative products servicing the orthopedic and dental marketplaces. Since its inception in 1997, Citagenix has become an important source of knowledge and experience for bone regeneration in the Canadian medical device industry. Citagenix is active in 15 countries, operating in Canada through its direct sales teams, and internationally via a network of distributor partnerships. www.citagenix.com.

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, the completion of financing transactions and the licensing and development of drugs and medical devices. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "propose" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this news release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in this news release include, but are not limited to, failure to satisfy closing conditions for the transactions, not obtaining future financing on adequate terms, or at all, failure to obtain TSX Venture Exchange approval for the transactions described herein, and risks associated with drug and medical device development generally. Antibe Therapeutics Inc. assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

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