Spring Bank Announces Clinical Collaboration to Evaluate SB 11285 in Combination with PD-L1 Checkpoint Inhibitor in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

HOPKINTON, Mass., Feb. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. SBPH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for oncology and inflammatory diseases, today announced a new clinical collaboration with Roche RO ROG), to explore the co-administration of SB 11285, Spring Bank's intravenously (IV)-administered STING (STimulator of INterferon Gene) agonist with Roche's PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in patients with advanced solid tumors. 

During the fourth quarter of 2019, Spring Bank dosed the first patient in the monotherapy dose escalation component of the intravenously-administered SB 11285 Phase 1a trial. This monotherapy dose escalation component will be followed by a combination dose escalation of IV SB 11285 with a checkpoint inhibitor (nivolumab) and with atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) as an additional arm added to the combination dose escalation segment of the Phase 1a trial. By the end of 2020, Spring Bank plans to generate sufficient data from its Phase 1a/1b IV STING agonist program to enable advancement into a Phase 2 clinical trial.

"We are thrilled to announce a new clinical collaboration to explore our SB 11285 IV STING agonist in combination with atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in patients with advanced solid tumors," said Atif Abbas, M.D., Vice President & Head of Oncology/Immunology Development at Spring Bank. Dr. Abbas continued, "We believe our IV-administered STING agonist has the ability to treat a broader range of cancers and patients when used in combination with checkpoint inhibitors by potentially enhancing their potency and effectiveness, and we look forward to being able to examine this effect with atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) as well as other checkpoint inhibitors."

As noted above, Phase 1a of the IV SB 11285 Phase 1 trial is a dose-escalation study with monotherapy followed by combination with one or more checkpoint inhibitors and is designed to determine a recommended Phase 2 dose. Phase 1b of the trial will explore IV SB 11285 antitumor activity in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor in selected tumor types. The trial is being conducted at multiple sites in the United States. 

About Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals
Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of a novel class of therapeutics using its proprietary small molecule nucleotide platform. The company designs its compounds to selectively target and modulate the activity of specific proteins implicated in various disease states. The company is developing its STING product portfolio with its lead clinical product candidate, SB 11285, an intravenously-administered immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of selected cancers, its STING antagonist compounds for the treatment of a broad range of inflammatory diseases and its STING agonist ADC program for potential oncology applications. For more information, please visit www.springbankpharm.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, about Spring Bank's future expectations, plans and prospects. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about expected plans and timing of the Company's Phase 1a/1b clinical trial for SB 11285. . The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "will," "would," "could," "potential," "possible," "hope," "likelihood" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: Spring Bank's ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its product candidates; any delay of any current or planned non-clinical or clinical trials or the development of any product candidate; whether Spring Bank's product candidates will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis, or at all; whether Spring Bank's cash resources will be sufficient to fund its continuing operations for the periods and/or trials anticipated; whether the results of such trials will warrant submission for approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether Spring Bank's product candidates will receive approval from regulatory agencies on a timely basis or at all; whether, if product candidates obtain approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Spring Bank's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 14, 2020, and in other filings Spring Bank makes with the SEC from time to time.

In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Spring Bank's views as of the date hereof. Spring Bank anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Spring Bank's views to change. However, while Spring Bank may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Spring Bank specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Spring Bank's views as of any date after the date hereof.

Investors:
Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Jonathan Freve
Chief Financial Officer
(508) 473-5993

LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Ashley R. Robinson
(617) 535-7742
Ashley@lifesciadvisors.com 

Media:
McNeil, Gray & Rice
Kristin Nugent
Senior Account Supervisor
(617) 367-0100
Source: Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc