BerGenBio ASA

04/21/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/20/2021 23:07

BERGENBIO PRESENTING AT ARCTIC SECURITIES BIOTECH WEBINAR

BERGENBIO PRESENTING AT ARCTIC SECURITIES BIOTECH WEBINAR 

 

Bergen, Norway, 21[st] April 2021 - BerGenBio ASA (OSE:BGBIO), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company developing novel, selective AXL kinase inhibitors for
severe unmet medical need, is pleased to announce that BerGenBio CEO Mr. Richard
Godfrey is presenting at the following virtual conference:

Arctic Securities Biotech Webinar, April 22, 2021

Live presentation at 14.05hrs CET

The presentation will be made available on the Company website:
www.bergenbio.com/investors/presentations/

- END -

About AXL

AXL kinase is a cell membrane receptor and an essential mediator of the
biological mechanisms underlying life-threatening diseases.

In COVID-19, AXL has two synergistic mechanisms of action, it acts a co-receptor
to ACE2, to which the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus attaches and enters
the host cell, and AXL expression is upregulated in infected organs with an
activation of the signalling pathway leading to suppression of the Type 1
Interferon immune response by infected cells and neighbouring cells, in their
environment. Pre-clinical research studies demonstrate that bemcentinib inhibits
SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and promotes anti-viral Type I interferon response.

In cancer, increase in AXL expression has been linked to key mechanisms of drug
resistance and immune escape by tumour cells, leading to aggressive metastatic
cancers. AXL suppresses the body's immune response to tumours and drives
treatment failure across many cancers. High AXL expression defines a very poor
prognosis subgroup in most cancers. AXL inhibitors, such as bemcentinib,
therefore, have potential high value as monotherapy and as the cornerstone of
cancer combination therapy, addressing significant unmet medical needs and
multiple high-value market opportunities. Research has also shown that AXL
mediates other aggressive diseases including fibrosis.

About Bemcentinib

Bemcentinib (formerly known as BGB324), is a potential first-in-class, potent
and highly selective AXL inhibitor, currently in a broad phase II clinical
development programme. It is administered as an oral capsule and taken once per
day. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating bemcentinib in COVID-19, and
multiple solid and haematological tumours, in combination with current and
emerging therapies (including immunotherapies, targeted therapies and
chemotherapy), and as a single agent. Bemcentinib targets and binds to the
intracellular catalytic kinase domain of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase and
inhibits its activity.

About BerGenBio ASA

BerGenBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing
transformative drugs targeting AXL as a potential cornerstone of therapy for
aggressive diseases, including immune-evasive, therapy resistant cancers. The
company's proprietary lead candidate, bemcentinib, is a potentially first-in
-class selective AXL inhibitor in a broad phase II clinical development
programme focused on combination and single agent therapy in cancer, leukaemia
and COVID-19. A first-in-class functional blocking anti-AXL
antibody, tilvestamab, is undergoing phase I clinical testing. In
parallel, BerGenBio is developing a companion diagnostic test to identify
patient populations most likely to benefit from AXL inhibition: this is expected
to facilitate more efficient registration trials supporting a precision medicine
-based commercialisation strategy.

BerGenBio is based in Bergen, Norway with a subsidiary in Oxford, UK. The
company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: BGBIO). For more
information, visit?www.bergenbio.com

Contacts

Richard Godfrey CEO, BerGenBio ASA

[email protected]

Rune Skeie, CFO, BerGenBio ASA
[email protected]


International Media Relations

Mary-Jane Elliott, Chris Welsh, Lucy Featherstone, Carina Jurs

Consilium Strategic Communications
[email protected]
+44 20 3709 5700

Media Relations in Norway

Jan Petter Stiff, Crux Advisers

[email protected]
+47 995 13 891

Forward looking statements

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, which as such are not
historical facts, but are based upon various assumptions, many of which are
based, in turn, upon further assumptions. These assumptions are inherently
subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other
important factors. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important
factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations
expressed or implied in this announcement by such forward-looking statements.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5
-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.