LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GT Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB:GTBP) (GTBP.PA) an immuno-oncology company focused on innovative treatments based on the Company's proprietary NK cell engager (TriKE™) platform, announced today that Dr. Jeffrey Miller and colleagues from the University of Minnesota will present research results concerning an HIV TriKE^™ which directs NK cell killing at HIV-infected CD4 T-cells. Dr. Miller and colleagues will present their HIV TriKE^™ research at the 18^th meeting of the Society for Natural Immunity in Luxembourg, September 30 to October 3, 2019.

"Natural killer (NK) cells are stimulated by the cytokine human IL-15 portion of the TriKE™ molecule which provides a self-sustaining signal that activates NK cells and enhances their ability to kill.  We have constructed an HIV TriKE^™ that directs NK cells to HIV infected CD4 T-cells, and have demonstrated the ability of the HIV TriKE^™ to kill HIV infected targets in preclinical models suggesting that further testing to eliminate the HIV reservoir is warranted," stated Dr. Miller.

Mr. Anthony Cataldo, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GT Biopharma commented, "we are excited about the progress Dr. Miller and his colleagues are making developing the HIV TriKE™."  Mr. Cataldo further stated, "we believe the HIV TriKE™ has the potential to offer many people living with HIV a treatment option that achieves sustained viral remission by eradicating the virus in all locations within the body, and hopefully will become part of a scalable and curative therapeutic strategy for HIV patients."

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) harms the immune system by destroying white blood cells which fight infection.  Infected individual are at risk for serious infections and certain cancers.  The virus can be transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.  The disease is usually asymptomatic until it progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).  No cure exists, but strict adherence to antiretroviral therapy can dramatically slow the disease's progress and prolong life.

GTB-3550 is the Company's first TriKE^™ product candidate which is a single-chain, tri-specific recombinant fusion protein construct composed of the variable regions of the heavy and light chains of anti-CD16 and anti-CD33 antibodies and a modified form of IL-15.  The GTB-3550 Phase I/II clinical trial for treatment of patients with CD33-expressing, high risk myelodysplastic syndromes, refractory/relapsed acute myeloid leukemia or advanced systemic mastocytosis opened for patient enrollment September 2019.  The clinical trial is being conducted at the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota under the direction of Dr. Erica Warlick.

GT Biopharma, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immuno-oncology products based off our proprietary Tri-specific Killer Engager (TriKE^™) and Multi-Target Directed Bispecific Drug Conjugate technology platforms.  Our TriKE platform is designed to harness and enhance the cancer killing abilities of a patient's immune system natural killer cells (NK cells).  GT Biopharma has an exclusive worldwide license agreement with the University of Minnesota to further develop and commercialize cancer therapies using proprietary TriKE technology developed by researchers at the university to target NK cells to cancer.  Our Multi-Target Directed Bispecific Drug Conjugate platform can generate product candidates that are bi-specific, ligand-directed single-chain fusion proteins that, we believe, represent the next generation of targeted therapy.

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