Paper on SFX-01 in ER positive breast cancer

Evgen Pharma plc

("Evgen" or the "Company")

Paper published on SFX-01 in ER positive breast cancer

Evgen Pharma plc (AIM: EVG), a clinical stage drug development company focused on the treatment of cancer and neurological conditions, announces the publication of a scientific paper entitled "Targeting STAT3 signaling using stabilised sulforaphane (SFX-01) inhibits endocrine resistant stem-like cells in ER-positive breast cancer". SFX-01 is the Company's synthetic formulation of stabilised sulforaphane (SFN).

The paper, in the prestigious journal Oncogene, is co-authored by Bruno Simoes, Research Fellow at the Division of Molecular & Clinical Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester and Sacha Howell, Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology at the Christie Hospital. The paper describes a body of work carried out in a collaboration between Evgen and the University of Manchester, over a number of years, on the potential use SFX-01 to combat endocrine resistance in ER-positive breast cancer.

The paper reports that SFX‐01, used in combination with endocrine therapies, prevents breast cancer stem-like cell (CSC) enrichment in patient samples and patient-derived xenograft tumours. Thus SFX-01 reduces the formation of stem-like cells (thought to be the clones that survive once tumours are treated with therapies such as endocrine therapies, and which cause metastases). SFX-01 also blocks STAT-3, itself implicated in resistance to endocrine therapies. SFX-01 therefore has the potential to overcome such resistance and improve clinical outcomes.

The paper can be viewed at:  https://rdcu.be/b4uXz and on the Evgen website.

Barry Clare, Executive Chairman of Evgen, commented:

"This paper clearly elucidates the potential of SFX-01 in the treatment of ER+ metastatic breast cancer and its potential as a STAT3 inhibitor. We look forward to building on this work, and on the data from our successful phase II trial in metastatic breast cancer, in the next trial."

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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 naturally occurring compound sulforaphane and novel proprietary analogues based on sulforaphane. The lead product, SFX-01, is a patented composition of synthetic sulforaphane and alpha-cyclodextrin.

Clinical data from the Company's open-label Phase II STEM trial has shown that SFX-01 can halt the growth of progressing tumours in patients with oestrogen-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer, and in some cases significantly shrink the tumour, whilst causing very few side effects.

The Company has its headquarters at The Colony, Wilmslow, Cheshire, and its registered office is at the Liverpool Science Park, Liverpool.  It joined the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in October 2015 and trades under the ticker symbol EVG.  

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