CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zenith Capital Corp. (“Zenith” or the “Company”) announced today that Zenith Epigenetics Ltd. (“Zenith Epigenetics”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zenith Capital, has entered into a licensing agreement with Newsoara Biopharma Co., Ltd. (“Newsoara”) for Zenith Epigenetics’ lead compound, ZEN-3694, in Asia excluding Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”), India, and ten Eurasian countries (the “Territories”). Under the terms of the agreement, Newsoara will have the rights to develop, market, and distribute ZEN-3694 for all indications in the Territories. Zenith will receive an upfront payment of US$3.5 million, sales-based milestones and single digit royalties.
Concurrent with the execution of the license agreement, Newsoara has entered into a subscription agreement to subscribe for 1.5 million units at a price of US$1.00 per unit, and Newsoara also agreed to subscribe for an additional 10 million units of Zenith by way of completing ZEN-3694 development programs with a budget of $10 million over the next 15 months. Each unit (“Unit”) shall be comprised of one common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant shall be exercisable into one common share at US$1.00 for a period of two years from the date of the subscription agreement.
“We are very pleased to further expand our partnership with Newsoara to introduce the therapeutic potential of ZEN-3694 to additional Asian markets,” stated Donald McCaffrey, President and CEO of Zenith. “ZEN-3694 is a leading and differentiated BET inhibitor now having shown clinical proof of concept in two solid tumor indications with significant unmet need, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and metastatic triple negative breast cancer. This additional financing will support advancing these programs towards registration enabling studies for these indications in collaboration with our partner Newsoara.”
About Newsoara
Newsoara is a biotech company based in Shanghai, China with research laboratories in the Suzhou BioBAY focusing on novel drug research and development to address unmet medical needs in patients with oncology, autoimmune, respiratory, and metabolic diseases. Newsoara has licensed development and commercialization rights to ZEN-3694 for China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Asia excluding MENA (Middle East and North Africa), India and ten Eurasian countries.
About Zenith
Zenith Capital Corp. is a biotechnology investment company originally spun out of Resverlogix Corp. (TSX: RVX) in 2013. Zenith Epigenetics Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zenith Capital Corp., is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other disorders with significant unmet medical need. Zenith Epigenetics is developing various novel combinations of BET inhibitors with other targeted agents. The lead compound, ZEN-3694, is in clinical development for:
- Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (“mCRPC”) in combination with androgen receptor inhibitor, enzalutamide (XTANDI), with Astellas and Newsoara as collaborators.
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer (“TNBC”) in combination with the PARP inhibitor TALZENNA with Pfizer as a collaborator.
- Androgen receptor independent mCRPC in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor KEYTRUDA and XTANDI with University of California, San Francisco as a collaborator.
- Ovarian cancer in combination with immune-checkpoint inhibitors, nivolumab and ipilimumab in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute.
- Nut midline carcinoma in combination with chemotherapy in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute.
For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations & Communications
Zenith Epigenetics
Phone: 587-390-7865
Email: info@zenithepigenetics.com
Website: www.zenithepigenetics.com
This news release may contain certain forward-looking information as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “expects”, “continue”, “estimate”, “forecasts” and other similar expressions. In particular, this news release includes forward looking information relating to the license and subscription agreements with Newsoara, the introduction of ZEN-3694 by Newsoara to Asian markets and the potential role of ZEN-3694 in the treatment of cancer and other disorders. Our actual results, events or developments could be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events or expectations will occur or be realized. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions and risk factors including those discussed in our most recent MD&A which are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. Zenith disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.