Cocrystal Pharma Announces Presentation at the RespiDART 2018: Frontiers in Drug Development Against Respiratory Viruses Conference
- Proprietary technology has the ability to fuel Cocrystal’s pipeline by effectively creating small molecule antiviral therapeutics that are safe, effective, convenient to administer and have the potential to address high-value areas of unmet medical needs -
- Company’s novel, broad-spectrum influenza antivirals are specifically designed to be effective against seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses -
BOTHELL, WA, Nov. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: COCP), (“Cocrystal” or the “Company”), a clinical stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel antiviral therapeutics that target the replication machinery of hepatitis viruses, influenza viruses and noroviruses, announced today that Sam Lee, Ph.D., President of Cocrystal, presented at the RespiDART 2018: Frontiers in Drug Development Against Respiratory Viruses Conference being held November 29 - 30, 2018 in Miami, Florida.
As part of Dr. Lee’s oral presentation, he discussed the Company’s proprietary platform technology and its influenza drug pipeline design. Cocrystal’s technology utilizes proprietary structural information, enzymology, and chemistry expertise, enabling the Company to develop novel antiviral agents. These technologies and Cocrystal’s market-focused approach to drug discovery are designed to effectively create small molecule therapeutics that are safe, effective and convenient to administer.
“Our unique structure-based platform technology has continued to demonstrate its potential in the development of antivirals. While we continue to leverage our technology in our current development programs for HepC, influenza, and noroviruses, we believe our platform has the potential to fuel a diverse pipeline that will have a meaningful impact on a number of high-value indications,” commented Dr. Lee. “By utilizing our platform technology in our CC-42344 influenza program, we have developed molecules with the ability to target the influenza polymerase complex, an essential replication enzyme with several highly conserved regions common to all influenza strains. CC-42344 has shown excellent antiviral activity against influenza A strains, including avian pandemic strains and Tamiflu® resistant strains. The data we have seen in this program to date continues to be encouraging and we look forward to providing additional updates.”
Cocrystal is applying its proprietary platform technology to develop novel, broad spectrum influenza antivirals that are specifically designed to be effective against all significant A strains of the influenza virus and to have a high barrier to resistance due to the way they target the virus’s replication machinery. CC-42344, the Company’s lead molecule for the treatment of influenza, binds to a highly conserved PB2 site on the influenza polymerase complex and exhibits a novel mechanism of action that inhibits viral replication. CC-42344 has shown excellent antiviral activity against influenza A strains, including avian pandemic strains and Tamiflu® resistant strains, and shows a favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profile. CC-42344 is currently being evaluated in preclinical IND-enabling studies for the treatment of influenza.
About RespiDART 2018
By bringing together world leaders and key opinion holders, RespiDART 2018 will address the latest challenges in vaccine and drug development against respiratory viruses. Through rigorous discussions, data sharing, and community building, this meeting aims to identify major clinical and scientific roadblocks, thus paving the way for game-changing scientific advancement.
RespiDART 2018 will focus on topics such as epidemiology and diagnosis, virus-host interactions and virus enzymology, vaccine and immunology, small molecule development, drug resistance and virus evolution. Emphasis will be placed on sharing the latest clinical data for several small molecules currently being tested in humans. Novel drug targets and mechanisms of action will also be heavily explored. Ultimately, “RespiDART 2018” aims to bridge the gap between the latest scientific developments and real-world clinical needs. Medical progress against respiratory viruses has been advancing at an inspiring rate. For more information about the conference, please visit the conference website.
About Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.
Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel antiviral therapeutics that target the replication machinery of hepatitis C viruses, influenza viruses, and noroviruses. Cocrystal employs unique structure-based technologies and Nobel Prize winning expertise to create first- and best-in-class antiviral drugs. CC-31244 is a broad-spectrum novel non-nucleoside replication inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus. Phase 1b studies in HCV-infected patients showed the largest reduction in viral load of any non-nucleoside inhibitor tested to date. CC-31244 is now in a Phase 2a clinical trial as part of a cocktail for the ultra-short therapy of 6 weeks. The Company’s lead candidate CC-42344 for influenza is effective in animal models against both the pandemic and seasonal strains of influenza A. In addition, novel inhibitors effective against both influenza strains A and B have been identified and are in the preclinical stage. Several of these inhibitors have potencies approaching single digit nanomolar. We continue to identify and develop non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors for Norovirus infections using the Company’s proprietary structure-based drug design technology platform. For further information about Cocrystal, please visit www.cocrystalpharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the prospects for the Company’s influenza lead candidate. The words "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "could," "target," "potential," "is likely," "will," "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events. Some or all of the events anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include the continued preclinical research developments, the ultimate results of a Phase 1 clinical trial and later stage clinical trials, the availability of products manufactured by third parties and receipt of regulatory approvals. Further information on our risk factors is contained in our filings with the SEC, including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, the Prospectus Supplement dated July 19, 2018, and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
Investor and Media Contact:
Jenene Thomas Communications, LLC
(833) 475-8247
COCP@jtcir.com
###
Released November 30, 2018