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NetScientific plc

("NetScientific" or the "Company")

PDS Biotech Announces Interim Data

Demonstrates 12-Month Survival Rate of 87% with PDS0101 in Combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

NetScientific Plc (AIM: NSCI), the investment and commercialisation group with an international portfolio of innovative life science, sustainability and technology companies, reports that its portfolio company, PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of targeted immunotherapies for cancer and infectious disease, has announced promising interim data.

The interim data relates to the VERSATILE-002 (NCT04260126) Phase 2 clinical trial investigating PDS0101 in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), in patients with unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic human papillomavirus (HPV)16-positive head and neck cancer.

The results will be featured in a poster presentation and in a head and neck cancer expert panel discussion at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting being held from 2 - 6 June in Chicago.

The presentation, titled "Safety and Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) Naïve Cohort from Study of PDS0101 and Pembrolizumab in HPV16-positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)" (Abstract #6012), concluded that the combination was well tolerated, and the results justify a global confirmatory randomized, controlled study, VERSATILE-003, which PDS Biotech is planning to initiate this year.  The study's 48 ICI naïve participants, 94% of whom were male with a median age of 62.5, received at least one cycle of the combination arm, 56.3% received four doses, and 22.9% received five doses.

In measuring the efficacy of PDS0101 in combination with KEYTRUDA®, the abstract highlights the following interim data:

·   Estimated 12-month overall survival rate was 87.1%. Published results are 36-50% with approved ICIs used alone*.

·     Median progression-free survival was 10.4 months (95% CI 4.2, 15.3). Published results are median PFS of 2-3 months for approved ICIs when used as monotherapy in patients with similar PD-L1 levels*.

·      A disease control rate (disease stabilization or tumor shrinkage) of 70.6% (24/34).

·   Confirmed and unconfirmed objective response rate was 41.2% (14/34 patients), which is identical to the preliminary response rate data PDS Biotech previously reported at ASCO 2022 (7/17 patients). To date these responses have been confirmed in nine of the 34 patients (26.5%), including one complete response.

·      15/34 patients (44.1%) had stable disease.

·      9/34 patients (26.5%) had progressive disease.

·    4/48 (8.3%) of patients had a Grade 3 treatment-related adverse event (TRAE). No Grade 4 or higher TRAEs were observed.

VERSATILE-002 is a Phase 2, open-label, multicenter study of the efficacy and safety of PDS0101 administered in combination with KEYTRUDA® in adults with HPV16-positive unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic HNSCC. VERSATILE-002 is investigating two patient populations of HPV16-positive head and neck cancer patients whose cancer has returned or spread. Interim data from the first group, which had not been previously treated with an ICI (ICI naïve), is the focus of the ASCO poster presentation and follow-up discussion among a panel of head and neck cancer experts.  The second group of patients had previously failed treatments including ICI therapy (ICI refractory).

Katharine A. Price, MD, Associate Professor, Oncology Head and Neck Disease Group, Mayo Clinic and presenting author of the study said:

"We are pleased to present updated survival data from VERSATILE-002, which suggest the addition of PDS0101 to KEYTRUDA® may improve survival for the growing number of HPV16-positive head and neck cancer patients."

Lauren V. Wood, M.D., PDS Biotech's Chief Medical Officer and a co-author of the study said:

"The interim data showed an estimated 12-month survival rate of 87% and a progression-free survival of 10.4 months, which is very encouraging given the poor prognosis these patients face.  Furthermore, we remain encouraged by the safety profile of PDS0101 in combination with KEYTRUDA®, with only 8% of patients experiencing a Grade 3 treatment-related adverse event without more serious Grade 4 or 5 events. We believe these data are encouraging for HNSCC patients and indicate that the addition of the HPV16-targeted immunotherapy PDS0101 to KEYTRUDA® should be further evaluated for its potential to enhance survival in HPV16-positive head and neck cancer patients."

Dr Ilian Iliev, CEO of NetScientific, said:

"I am delighted with the interim data that will be presented by PDS at the prestigious American Society of Clinical Oncology 2023 Annual Meeting, demonstrating median progression-free survival of 10.4 months from the PDS Phase 2 study focused on HPV16-positive head and neck cancer patients whose cancer has returned or spread.  PDS' programme continues to progress well across its Phase 2 studies, and a planned Phase 3 programme. Congratulations to Lauren and her team."

The research was authored by Katharine Price, M.D., Mayo Clinic; John Michael Kaczmar, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina; Francis Worden, M.D., University of Michigan Health; Marya Chaney, Ph.D., Merck & Co. Inc.; Jared Weiss, M.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and PDS Biotech's Lauren V. Wood, M.D; David Schaaf, M.D.; and Nathalie Riebel.

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Abstract Number: 6012

Abstract Title: Safety and Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) Naïve Cohort from Study of PDS0101 and Pembrolizumab in HPV16-Positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

Presenting Author: Katharine Price, M.D., Co-chair, Head and Neck Disease Group, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center

Session Title: Head and Neck Cancer

Poster Presentation: Monday, June 5, 2023, 1:15 PM-4:15 PM CDT

Head and Neck Cancer Poster Discussion Session: Monday, June 5, 2023, 4:30 PM-6:00 PM CDT

Conference call Information:

PDS Biotech will host a conference call on Tuesday, June 6, at 8:00 a.m. EDT to discuss the interim data being presented at the ASCO 2023 Annual Meeting. A live webcast of the event will be available online at PDS Biotech Post-ASCO Webcast. The event will be archived in the investor relations section of PDS Biotech's website for six months.

Additionally, interested participants and investors may access the conference call by dialing either 877-407-3088 (US) or 201-389-0927 (International).

*No control or comparative studies have been conducted between immune checkpoint inhibitors and PDS0101; Ferris R.L., Nivolumab for Recurrent Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck; N Engl J Med 2016; 375:1856-1867; Burtness B et al., Pembrolizumab alone or with chemotherapy versus cetuximab with chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE- 048): a randomized, open-label phase 3 study; Lancet 2019; 394(10212):1915-1928
https://www.opdivo.com/head-and-neck-cancer
https://www.keytruda.com/head-and-neck-cancer/keytruda-clinical-trials/

A full version of PDS Biotech's announcement can be accessed here:

https://www.pdsbiotech.com/index.php/investors/news-center/press-releases/press-releases1/125-2023-news/838-iotechnnouncesnterimataemonstrates12onthu20230525

-Ends- 

For more information, please contact:

NetScientific

Ilian Iliev, CEO                                                                                     Via Belvedere Communications

WH Ireland (NOMAD, Financial Adviser and Broker)

Chris Fielding / Darshan Patel / Enzo Aliaj                                   +44 (0)20 7220 1666

Belvedere Communications

John West / Llew Angus                                                                   +44 (0) 203 008 6867

Email: [email protected]

About NetScientific

NetScientific plc (AIM: NSCI) is an investment and commercialisation group with an international portfolio of innovative life science, sustainability and technology companies.

NetScientific identifies, invests in, and builds high growth companies in the UK and internationally. The company adds value through the proactive management of its portfolio, progressing to key value inflection points, and delivering investment returns through partial or full liquidity events.

NetScientific differentiates itself by employing a capital-light investment approach, making judicial use of its balance sheet and syndicating investments through its wholly owned VC subsidiary, EMV Capital. The group secures a mixture of direct equity stakes and carried interest stakes in its portfolio of companies, creating a lean structure that can support a large portfolio.

NetScientific is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, and is admitted to trading on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange.

www.netscientific.net

About PDS Biotechnology 

PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of targeted cancer and infectious disease immunotherapies based on our proprietary Versamune^®, Versamune^® plus PDS0301, and Infectimune™ T cell-activating platforms. We believe our targeted immunotherapies have the potential to overcome the limitations of current immunotherapy approaches through the activation of the right type, quantity and potency of T cells. To date, our lead Versamune^® clinical candidate, PDS0101, has demonstrated the ability to reduce and shrink tumours and stabilize disease in combination with approved and investigational therapeutics in patients with a broad range of HPV16-associated cancers in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials and will be advancing into a Phase 3 clinical trial in combination with KEYTRUDA® for the treatment of recurrent/metastatic HPV16-positive head and neck cancer in 2023. Our Infectimune™ based vaccines have also demonstrated the potential to induce not only robust and durable neutralizing antibody responses, but also powerful T cell responses, including long-lasting memory T cell responses in pre-clinical studies to date. To learn more, please visit www.pdsbiotech.com or follow us on Twitter at @PDSBiotech.