CNS Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Approval of IND Application for its Brain Cancer Drug Candidate Berubicin

HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) ("CNS" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain and central nervous system, today announced that the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its lead product candidate, Berubicin, for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is now approved and in effect as filed with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company will initiate its trial during the first quarter of 2021 to investigate the efficacy of Berubicin in adults with GBM who have failed first-line therapy.  Recent correspondence between the Company and the FDA resulted in modifications to the previously disclosed trial design, including designating overall survival (OS) as the primary endpoint of the study. OS is a rigorous endpoint that the FDA has recognized as a basis for approval of oncology drugs when a statistically significant improvement can be shown relative to a randomized control arm.

"Since becoming a public company, our clear focus has been on advancing the clinical development of Berubicin. We will now rapidly move to initiate our Phase 2 trial of Berubicin for adults with GBM and expect to begin enrolling patients in the first quarter of next year," commented John Climaco, CEO of CNS Pharmaceuticals. "The Company will transform within the next several months as Berubicin becomes the subject of up to three active clinical trials, which include our randomized, controlled Phase 2 trial in the U.S., and 2 trials planned by our sublicensee WPD in Poland. We are entering an area with significant unmet medical need since the current treatment paradigm for GBM remains bleak, as this aggressive and currently incurable form of brain cancer continues to claim high mortality rates. We have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us as we continue our mission to improve patient outcomes for GBM and build on the promising results demonstrated by Berubicin in its Phase 1 clinical trial."

As previously announced, the planned trial will evaluate the efficacy of Berubicin in patients with GBM who have failed primary treatment for their disease. Results will compare Berubicin to the current standard of care, with a 2 to 1 randomization of patients to either receive Berubicin or Lomustine. The trial's adaptive design is intended to allow an interim analysis of the data to demonstrate meaningful differences in efficacy between treatments and then to allow an adjustment to the size of the patient population in the trial for maximum efficiency in terms of time in development. Based on this, the trial has the potential to provide data to the FDA that may allow an expedited pathway for development. However, there can be no assurance that the FDA will support any potential request for an expedited pathway to approval or further development.

About CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CNS Pharmaceuticals is developing novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain and central nervous system. Its lead drug candidate, Berubicin, is proposed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. CNS holds a worldwide exclusive license to the Berubicin chemical compound and has acquired all data and know-how from Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. related to a completed Phase 1 clinical trial with Berubicin in malignant brain tumors, which Reata conducted in 2006. In this trial the overall response rate of stable disease or better was 44%. This 44% disease control rate was based on 11 patients (out of 25 evaluable patients) with stable disease, plus responders. One patient experienced a durable complete response and remains cancer-free as of Feb. 20, 2020. These Phase 1 results represent a limited patient sample size and, while promising, are not a guarantee that similar results will be achieved in subsequent trials. By the end of the first quarter of 2021, CNS expects to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial of Berubicin for the treatment of GBM in the U.S., while a sub-licensee partner undertakes a Phase 2 trial in adults and a first-ever Phase 1 trial in pediatric GBM patients in Poland. Its second drug candidate, WP1244, is a novel DNA binding agent that has shown in preclinical studies that it is 500 times more potent than the chemotherapeutic agent daunorubicin in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation.

For more information, please visit www.CNSPharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements                                                            

Some of the statements in this press 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 the Company and WPD to initiate clinical trials during the first quarter of 2021, and whether the planned clinical trial will provide data to the FDA to allow an expedited pathway for development. These statements relate to future events, future expectations, plans and prospects. Although CNS believes 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. CNS 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 CNS's most recently filed Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and updated from time to time in its Form 10-Q filings and in its other public filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of its date. CNS undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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