Panacea Pharmaceuticals closes its Series E financing for a total of $15 million to fund the Phase 1 clinical study of its lead cancer immunotherapeutic drug and pursue its late stage pre-clinical candidates toward integrated cancer management

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has closed its Series E financing for a total of $15 million and is in a strong position to complete the Phase 1 clinical study of its lead cancer immunotherapeutic drug, as well as pursuing its late-stage pre-clinical candidates toward integrated cancer management. The company has also secured an additional $2 million optional financing commitment in this series. 

"Our lead drug candidate, our late-stage pipeline of pre-clinical candidates, as well as our cancer diagnostic products, constitute Panacea Pharmaceuticals' integrated cancer management program.  We are delighted to have sufficient funding to enable us to pursue this program," said Hossein Ghanbari, PhD, Chairman & CEO/CSO of Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Panacea Pharmaceuticals' lead drug candidate is a nanoparticle-based anti-cancer therapeutic vaccine. This targeted drug candidate enables the immune system to control cancer cells by enhancing patients' antibody and cellular defense mechanisms solely against cancer cells. In several animal models (mouse and rat) of aggressive liver, breast, and prostate cancers, it has significantly inhibited tumor growth, decreased tumor size, increased survival, and inhibited metastasis. Our therapeutic vaccine dosage is at microgram level and is delivered intradermally using 3M's Hollow Microstructured Transdermal System. The company has met with FDA earlier in the year to discuss a pre-IND submission that included the manufacturing, animal toxicology and human trial strategies for the vaccine. Based on the outcome of this meeting, the company is targeting 1^st quarter 2016 to file an IND. Upon regulatory review, Panacea plans to initiate the Phase 1 clinical study in cancer patients in the 2^nd quarter of 2016.

Beyond our lead immunotherapeutic drug candidate, our late-stage pipeline of products consists of:

1. Radio-immunoimaging to determine the site and size of tumor, using a radioisotope-labeled all human anti-HAAH antibody
2. Radio-immunotherapy using high-energy short-lived alpha or beta emitting radioisotopes bound to the anti-HAAH antibody to specifically target cancer cells
3. BrainGuard, our neuroprotectant compound, to guard the brain against damages commonly caused by chemotherapy
4. Anti-cancer antibody drug, using naked all human anti-HAAH antibody products

About Panacea
Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1999 to discover, develop, and commercialize novel therapeutic and diagnostic products for oncology and diseases of the central nervous system. Since its inception, the Company's primary approach to cancer treatment has been immunotherapy and development of companion diagnostics for comprehensive patient management. The Company's lead drug product candidate is a nanoparticle-based therapeutic cancer vaccine that targets a novel patented tumor marker, human aspartyl (asparaginyl) β-hydroxylase (HAAH). The company relies on a close collaboration with Brown University where teams of researchers are continuing advances on the Company's core technologies. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.panaceapharma.com.

Contact
Hossein A. Ghanbari, PhD
240-305-4601, [email protected]

Steve Fuller, PhD
240-454-8010, [email protected]

SOURCE Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Related Links

http://panaceapharma.com