Identifying a Backup Clinical Candidate for Projected $111B Global Metastatic Cancer Market

MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB: PPCB) (“Propanc” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel cancer treatments for patients suffering from recurring and metastatic cancer, today announced that successful production of a synthetic recombinant version of the proenzyme trypsinogen was completed via the Proenzyme Optimization Project 1 (POP1) joint research and drug discovery program. The program is designed to produce a backup clinical compound to the Company’s lead product candidate, PRP, which is targeting metastatic cancer from solid tumors. According to Emergen Research, the global metastatic cancer market is projected to be worth $111 Billion by 2027.

The program’s lead research scientist, Mr. Aitor González, was able to produce the recombinant trypsinogen successfully. Previously, attempts to produce synthetic trypsinogen when manufacturing in larger quantities were unable to be stabilized. Mr. González consulted with Professor Diethard Mattanovich, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, Europe, and is ready to undertake a larger scale production of recombinant trypsinogen, subsequently purified to achieve a higher quality product. This process will also be repeated for recombinant chymotrypsinogen to manufacture a synthetic recombinant formulation to the Company’s lead product candidate, PRP.

“The work we’re undertaking with the POP1 Joint Research and Drug Discovery Program is novel and complexed so that we can produce an even better higher quality product than the naturally derived version which comprises the PRP formulation,” said Dr. Julian Kenyon, MD, MB, ChB, Propanc’s Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder. “The proenzymes are very large molecules which can affect their stability when undertaking production in the laboratory. Therefore, I’m highly impressed with the quality of work produced by Aitor in Professor Mattanovich’s lab. Our goal is introducing a new therapeutic approach for the treatment and prevention of metastatic cancer by using proenzymes to target and eradicate cancer stem cells. We want to ensure that we harness the already potent anti-cancer effects of the naturally derived proenzymes, whilst reducing variability between lots and improving stability. Much in the way porcine insulin was first introduced to patients to treat diabetes on a mass scale in the 1920’s by Eli Lilly, who then went on to produce synthetic ‘human’ insulin 50 years later.”

The objective of the POP1 program is to produce large quantities of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen for commercial use that exhibits minimal variation between lots and without sourcing the proenzymes from animals. Propanc is undertaking the challenging research project in collaboration with the Universities of Jaén and Granada, led by Mr. González, supported by Prof. Macarena Perán, Ph.D. and Prof. Juan Antonio Marchal M.D., representing the Universities, respectively, and Dr. Kenyon.

PRP is a mixture of two proenzymes, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen from bovine pancreas administered by intravenous injection. A synergistic ratio of 1:6 inhibits growth of most tumor cells. Examples include kidney, ovarian, breast, brain, prostate, colorectal, lung, liver, uterine and skin cancers.

About Propanc Biopharma, Inc.

Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (the “Company”) is developing a novel approach to prevent recurrence and metastasis of solid tumors by using pancreatic proenzymes that target and eradicate cancer stem cells in patients suffering from pancreatic, ovarian and colorectal cancers. For more information, please visit www.propanc.com.

The Company’s novel proenzyme therapy is based on the science that enzymes stimulate biological reactions in the body, especially enzymes secreted by the pancreas. These pancreatic enzymes could represent the body’s primary defense against cancer.

To view the Company’s “Mechanism of Action” video on its anti-cancer lead product candidate, PRP, please click on the following link: http://www.propanc.com/news-media/video

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements,” which may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as “may,” “might,” “will,” “will likely result,” “would,” “should,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “continue,” “target” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These factors include uncertainties as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern absent new debt or equity financings; the Company’s current reliance on substantial debt financing that it is unable to repay in cash; the Company’s ability to successfully remediate material weaknesses in its internal controls; the Company’s ability to reach research and development milestones as planned and within proposed budgets; the Company’s ability to control costs; the Company’s ability to obtain adequate new financing on reasonable terms; the Company’s ability to successfully initiate and complete clinical trials and its ability to successful develop PRP, its lead product candidate; the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain patent protection; the Company’s ability to recruit employees and directors with accounting and finance expertise; the Company’s dependence on third parties for services; the Company’s dependence on key executives; the impact of government regulations, including FDA regulations; the impact of any future litigation; the availability of capital; changes in economic conditions, competition; and other risks, including, but not limited to, those described in the Company’s periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at http://www.sec.gov. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligations to update these statements except as may be required by law.

Contacts

Investor Relations and Media: Mr. James Nathanielsz Propanc Biopharma, Inc. irteam@propanc.com +61-3-9882-0780