Evgen Pharma plc

("Evgen" or "the Company" or "the Group")

Positive update on SFX-01 in vitro Glioblastoma (GBM) studies

Further evidence of SFX-01 activity as seen at other academic centres

Alderley Park, UK - 19 February 2024: Evgen Pharma plc (AIM: EVG), the clinical stage drug development company developing sulforaphane-based medicines for the treatment of multiple diseases, announces that the laboratory of Dr Marjolein Geurts, neuro-oncologist at the Erasmus University Medical Centre has observed continuing activity of SFX-01 in GBM cells.

The in vitro studies, which are supported by a grant awarded by the KWF Dutch Cancer Society for a €1.1m project, are designed to investigate the activity of SFX-01 in preclinical GBM models. This work is to be followed by administration of SFX-01 to patients with GBM in a clinical Investigator Sponsored Study (ISS). The scientific collaboration, which commenced in October 2023, will run for three years, generating data continuously throughout the period.

According to the lead investigator, Dr Marjolein Geurts, neuro-oncologist at Erasmus University Medical Center, "We have seen continued evidence of biological activity in patient-derived glioblastoma tissue."

Dr Huw Jones, CEO of Evgen Pharma said:

"These early data triangulate with those seen by our other academic collaborators in Abbruzzo, Italy and Auckland, New Zealand. This is another major academic group observing these effects in tissue derived from a different population of GBM patients which gives us further confidence of SFX-01's potential as a therapeutic option for glioblastoma, a disease with very high unmet medical needs which is devastating for patients and their carers."

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About Evgen Pharma plc

Evgen Pharma is a clinical stage drug development company developing sulforaphane based medicines for the treatment of multiple diseases. The Company's core technology is Sulforadex®, a method for synthesising and stabilising the highly biologically active compound sulforaphane and novel proprietary analogues based on sulforaphane. 

The Company's lead asset, SFX-01, is a patented composition of synthetic sulforaphane and alpha-cyclodextrin and has undergone clinical trials for oestrogen-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer and recently a Phase 1b study of the Company's new enteric coated tablet formulation. The FDA has granted Orphan Drug status to SFX-01 in malignant glioma. SFX-01 will be investigated initially in this indication as an investigator sponsored study in the Netherlands.

The Company also has a wide number of collaborations with leading academic centres in the UK, Europe and the US as part of the continuing strategy to build the scientific data for the compound. Recently, Evgen completed an out-licensing transaction with Stalicla SA, a Swiss specialist company in neurodevelopmental disorders, commencing with autism spectrum disorder. The deal, if successful, will generate milestone payments of $160.5m and a double-digit royalty on sales.

The Company has its headquarters and registered office at Alderley Park, Cheshire. It is listed on AIM in London and trades under the ticker symbol EVG. 

For further information, please visit: www.evgen.com.