HPV E7

– Preclinical data demonstrate that inhibiting the p300 KAT domain reactivates p53 in HPV-driven tumors resulting in anti-tumor activity –SAN MATEO, Calif., and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kronos Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: KRON), a company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address cancers and autoimmune diseases driven by deregulated transcription, today announced preclinical data from its p300 KAT inhibitor program for human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven tumors at the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. Kronos Bio is exploring the utility of its p300 KAT inhibitor, KB-9558, for HPV-driven tumors. In the presentation, the authors show that the HPV genome preferentially integrates into transcriptionally active regions in the human genome where it becomes dependent on p300 to drive expression of its E6 and E7 oncogenes. It is widely recognized that elevated transcription of HPV E6 and E7 genes promotes degradation of tumor suppressors p53 and Rb. Importantly, inhibition of p300 KAT activity was highly selective in repressing the transcription of E6 and E7, which in turn led to restoration of the p53 and Rb pathways and drove anti-tumor effects through apoptosis and inhibition of uncontrolled tumor cell growth. "Continued expression of certain viral genes, especially E6 and E7, plays a critical role in tumor growth and progression of HPV-driven tumors, including head & neck, cervical, and other anogenital cancers. Importantly, there are no approved targeted therapies that inhibit E6 and E7,” said Charles Lin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Kronos Bio. "While this is early-stage research, given the ability of p300 KAT inhibition to target E6 and E7 and restore tumor suppressor pathways, we believe this p300 KAT inhibitor has the potential to be a remarkable and unique approach toward ensuring that fewer people suffer from HPV-driven cancer." In the presentation titled, "Oncogenic human papillomavirus hijacks p300 to drive viral transcription, creating a therapeutic vulnerability that can be exploited with selective p300/CBP catalytic inhibitors", the authors describe the experiments that led to the following key findings: HPV integrates into the human genome at specific locations where p300 regulates transcriptionp300 inhibition demonstrated specific and potent reduction of expression of HPV oncogenes E6 and E7, both at the RNA and protein levelLoss of E6 and E7 led to restoration of p53 and Rb tumor suppressor pathways which led to the upregulation of p53 activated genes (e.g., CDKN1A) and downregulation of Rb repressed genes (e.g., CDK1)Re-expression of E6 and E7 from an exogenous lentiviral vector where viral oncogene transcription is not mediated by p300 KAT activity reversed the effects of p300 KAT inhibition on p53 restoration and anti-tumor effectsThese findings support the potential of KB-9558, a p300 KAT inhibitor, to treat HPV-driven tumors given its potential to suppress E6 and E7 expression and restore the p53 pathway The poster presentation will take place on October 24, 2024, and is currently available under the Publications section of the Kronos Bio website. About Kronos BioKronos Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address deregulated transcription, a hallmark of cancer and autoimmune disease. Our proprietary discovery engine decodes complex transcription factor regulatory networks to identify druggable cofactors. We screen for and optimize small molecules that target these cofactors in a disease-specific context. Kronos Bio has a pipeline of three drug candidates. Istisociclib (KB-0742) is currently enrolling ovarian cancer patients in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Preclinical candidate KB-9558 is being developed for multiple myeloma and HPV-driven tumors. KB-7898 is Kronos Bio’s first autoimmune development candidate and has a target indication of Sjögren’s disease. Kronos Bio is based in San Mateo, Calif., and has a research facility in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit https://www.kronosbio.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn. Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release, in some cases, uses terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Kronos Bio’s intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things, KB-9558’s ability to potentially treat HPV-driven tumors; the potential of Kronos Bio’s product candidates, pipeline and its proprietary discovery engine; and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: changes in the macroeconomic environment or competitive landscape that impact Kronos Bio’s business; whether Kronos Bio will be able to progress its preclinical pipeline on the timelines anticipated, including due to risks inherent in the development of novel therapeutics; the risk that results of preclinical studies, early clinical trials (including preliminary results) and pharmacokinetic modeling are not necessarily predictive of future results; and risks associated with the sufficiency of Kronos Bio’s cash resources and need for additional capital. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Kronos Bio’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on August 8, 2024. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Except as required by law, Kronos Bio assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

– Data show that p300 KAT inhibitor KB-9558 was highly selective against human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoproteins E6 and E7, and therefore drove anti-tumor effects – – Poster presentation taking place on Thursday, October 24, 2024 – SAN MATEO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kronos Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: KRON), a company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address cancers and autoimmune diseases driven by deregulated transcription, today announced that it will present preclinical data from its p300 KAT inhibitor program for human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven tumors at the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, being held from October 23 to 25, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Kronos Bio is exploring the utility of its p300 KAT inhibitor, KB-9558, for HPV-driven tumors. In the presentation, the authors will show that the oncogenic HPV-16 virus hijacks the host transcriptional cofactor p300 in order to drive expression of the virally encoded oncogenes E6 and E7. Inhibition of p300 KAT activity achieved anti-tumor effects by downregulating E6 and E7 which in turn leads to reactivation of p53, a known tumor suppressor. “Despite the availability of HPV vaccines, HPV still causes many cancers including head and neck cancer and cervical cancer, with an estimated 38,000 new cases of HPV-driven cancers annually in the United States alone. Viral oncoproteins such as the ones encoded by HPV provide a unique therapeutic opportunity since they are only found in tumor cells,” said Charles Lin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Kronos Bio. “By demonstrating that we can selectively inhibit E6 and E7 with a p300 KAT inhibitor, we hope to provide patients with HPV-driven cancers innovative targeted therapies.” Abstract details are as follows: Title: Oncogenic human papillomavirus hijacks p300 to drive viral transcription, creating a therapeutic vulnerability that can be exploited with selective p300/CBP catalytic inhibitorsPresenter: Marek Kobylarz, Ph.D., Senior ScientistPoster Session: Epigenetic modulators (HDAC Bromodomain modulators, EZH2)Date and Time: Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CEST The presentation will be available under the Publications section of the Kronos Bio website on October 24, 2024. The abstract can be found on the Symposium website. About Kronos BioKronos Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address deregulated transcription, a hallmark of cancer and autoimmune disease. Our proprietary discovery engine decodes complex transcription factor regulatory networks to identify druggable cofactors. We screen for and optimize small molecules that target these cofactors in a disease-specific context. Kronos Bio has a pipeline of three drug candidates. Istisociclib (KB-0742) is currently enrolling ovarian cancer patients in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Preclinical candidate KB-9558 is being developed for multiple myeloma and HPV-driven tumors. KB-7898 is Kronos Bio’s first autoimmune development candidate and has a target indication of Sjögren’s disease. Kronos Bio is based in San Mateo, Calif., and has a research facility in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit https://www.kronosbio.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn. Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release, in some cases, uses terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Kronos Bio’s intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things, KB-9558’s ability to potentially treat HPV-driven tumors; the estimated U.S. patient population with HPV-driven cancers; the therapeutic opportunity provided by oncoproteins in the treatment of cancer; the potential of Kronos Bio’s product candidates, pipeline and its proprietary discovery engine; and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: changes in the macroeconomic environment or competitive landscape that impact Kronos Bio’s business; whether Kronos Bio will be able to progress its preclinical pipeline on the timelines anticipated, including due to risks inherent in the development of novel therapeutics; the risk that results of preclinical studies, early clinical trials (including preliminary results) and pharmacokinetic modeling are not necessarily predictive of future results; and risks associated with the sufficiency of Kronos Bio’s cash resources and need for additional capital. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Kronos Bio’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on August 8, 2024. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Except as required by law, Kronos Bio assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

- Data show that Vaxart’s HPV vaccine constructs stimulate specific T cell immune responses, reduce tumor size, and increase survival in an animal model of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related tumorigenesis - - Results suggest that Vaxart’s mucosal vaccine platform holds promise in enabling a novel, non-invasive treatment for HPV-related cervical dysplasia - SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaxart, Inc. (Nasdaq: VXRT) today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating the potential of its mucosal vaccine technology platform in enabling therapeutic vaccination against HPV-related cervical dysplasia. The data show that Vaxart’s HPV vaccine constructs can stimulate a potent immune response against the HPV16 proteins E6 and E7 that are known to transform healthy cells into malignant cells. The data, reported in the current issue of Vaccines, also shows that administration of a mucosal vaccine against these proteins in mice with HPV-expressing tumors led to reductions in tumor size and increased survival. Persistent HPV infection plays a causative role in most cases of cervical dysplasia, which leads to cervical cancers if left untreated. While prophylactic HPV vaccines are highly effective if administered prior to infection; they have not demonstrated a therapeutic effect on established infections. “The preclinical data published in Vaccines demonstrate that our mucosal vaccines stimulate T cells to destroy HPV-expressing cells, reducing the size of HPV-derived tumors and increasing the survival of mice bearing these tumors,” said Dr. Sean Tucker, Vaxart’s Founder and Chief Scientific Officer. “While additional studies are needed to further characterize the immune stimulating and anti-tumor activity of our HPV-vaccine, these initial findings suggest that our mucosal vaccine platform could open the door to a non-invasive approach designed to prevent the progression to cervical cancer. As our mucosal vaccine candidates can be administered easily and are stable at room temperature, they also have potential to address global inequities associated with the treatment of HPV-related cancers.” In this study published in Vaccines, the therapeutic potential of this platform was assessed in mice bearing HPV-expressing tumors. Animals were treated with vaccine candidates expressing wildtype E6 and E7 antigens from HPV16, engineered E6 and E7 that disrupt their malignant transformation potential, and fragments of E6 and E7 predicted to stimulate an immune response. Key findings from the study include: All vaccines generated a specific T cell response to HPV16 E6 and E7 in mice.All vaccines caused significant reductions in tumor volume and increased survival compared to control groups.Concurrent administration of anti-PD-1 with vaccination further increased animal survival in small and large tumor models compared to vaccination alone.Vaccination led to significant increases in intra-tumoral T cells, including T cells that create a cytotoxic tumor environment, compared with an empty control vaccine.Vaccination led to the generation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells. These results suggest that rAd5 vaccines delivered to a mucosal surface may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of HPV-derived cervical dysplasia and might be used to stimulate immune responses against other cancer-related proteins. Vaxart is continuing to evaluate its HPV vaccine candidates. About Vaxart Vaxart is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a range of oral recombinant vaccines based on its proprietary delivery platform. Vaxart vaccines are designed to be administered using pills that can be stored and shipped without refrigeration and eliminate the risk of needle-stick injury. Vaxart believes that its proprietary pill vaccine delivery platform is suitable to deliver recombinant vaccines, positioning the company to develop oral versions of currently marketed vaccines and to design recombinant vaccines for new indications. Vaxart’s development programs currently include pill vaccines designed to protect against coronavirus, norovirus and influenza, as well as a therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), Vaxart’s first immune-oncology indication. Vaxart has filed broad domestic and international patent applications covering its proprietary technology and creations for oral vaccination using adenovirus and dsRNA agonists. 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Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Vaxart makes, including uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement, and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates, and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from the clinical studies; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, and safety that could affect the availability or commercial potential of any product candidate, including the possibility that Vaxart’s product candidates may not be approved by the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory authorities; that, even if approved by the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory authorities, Vaxart’s product candidates may not achieve broad market acceptance; that a Vaxart collaborator may not attain development and commercial milestones; that Vaxart or its partners may experience manufacturing issues and delays due to events within, or outside of, Vaxart’s or its partners’ control; difficulties in production, particularly in scaling up initial production, including difficulties with production costs and yields, quality control, including stability of the product candidate and quality assurance testing, shortages of qualified personnel or key raw materials, and compliance with strictly enforced federal, state, and foreign regulations; that Vaxart may not be able to obtain, maintain, and enforce necessary patent and other intellectual property protection; that Vaxart’s capital resources may be inadequate; Vaxart’s ability to resolve pending legal matters; Vaxart’s ability to obtain sufficient capital to fund its operations on terms acceptable to Vaxart, if at all; the impact of government healthcare proposals and policies; competitive factors; and other risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of Vaxart’s Quarterly and Annual Reports filed with the SEC. Vaxart does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Contacts Vaxart Media Relations:Mark HerrVaxart, Incmherr@vaxart.com(203) 517-8957 Investor Relations:Matt SteinbergFINN PartnersIR@vaxart.com(646) 871-8481