OXIS Biotech Scientific Advisory Board Member to Address Cancer Immunotherapy Conference in China

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 21, 2017 / Oxis International Inc. OXIS (Euronext Paris OXI.PA) announced today that Dr. Daniel Vallera, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of its wholly owned subsidiary, Oxis Biotech Inc., has been invited to speak at the 15th National Conference of Tumor Immunotherapy on June 22, 2017, in Hefei, China.

Dr. Vallera, Director of the section on Molecular Cancer Therapeutics at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, said he will discuss two immunotherapy cancer treatments that he helped develop -- Trispecific Killer Engager (TriKE) and Bispecific Killer Engager (BiKE). Both platforms have been licensed by Oxis.

The treatments empower the body's immune system to identify and selectively kill cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells alone.

Dr. Vallera was instrumental in the development of Oxis' promising cancer therapy, OXS-1550, which is currently in an FDA Phase 1/Phase 2 clinical trial in Minnesota.

The National Conference of Tumor Immunotherapy focuses on research, technology, clinical practice and government policy related to tumor immunology and immunotherapy. About 500 people are expected to attend.

Anthony Cataldo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Oxis, said Dr. Vallera's invitation is an indication that his work is widely recognized by his peers.

"We have received many requests for more information about the BiKE and TriKE platforms we have licensed from the University Of Minnesota," Mr. Cataldo said. "The biotech community realizes the potential for this technology and how it addresses the future of 'Targeted Immunotherapy.'"

Dr. Vallera has spent 35 years with the University of Minnesota's cancer center, where he oversees a laboratory specializing in the development of biological recombinant drugs focusing on bispecific antibody therapies that directly deliver toxic signals to cancer cells.

About Oxis Biotech, Inc.:

Oxis Biotech is an immuno-oncology focused company developing innovative drugs focused on the treatment of cancer and other unmet medical needs. OXIS' lead drug candidate, OXS-1550 (DT2219ARL) is a novel bispecific scFv recombinant fusion protein-drug conjugate composed of the variable regions of the heavy and light chains of anti-CD19 and anti-CD22 antibodies and a modified form of diphtheria toxin as its cytotoxic drug payload. OXS-1550 targets cancer cells expressing the CD19 receptor or CD22 receptor or both receptors. When OXS-2175 binds to cancer cells, the cancer cells internalize the drug and are killed due to the action of drug's cytotoxic payload. OXS-1550 has demonstrated success in early human clinical trials in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma or leukemia. OXS-4235 is a small molecule therapeutic candidate targeting the treatment of multiple myeloma and associated osteolytic lesions. In in vitro and in vivo models of multiple myeloma and osteoporosis, OXS-4235 demonstrated the ability to kill multiple myeloma cells, and decrease osteolytic lesions in bone. OXIS' lead drug candidate, OXS-2175, is a small molecule therapeutic candidate targeting the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In in vitro and in vivo models of TNBC, OXS-2175 demonstrated the ability to inhibit metastasis.

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