Oncotelic Accesses Rapid IND Development Platform through Partnership with Medicilon

/EIN News/ -- AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB:OTLC). Oncotelic Therapeutics Inc., a leader in RNA-based therapeutics, including its subsidiaries (“Oncotelic”) and including Sapu Bioscience, LLC (“SAPU”), a wholly owned subsidiary of GMP Biotechnology Limited in which Oncotelic is a 45% owner, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Shanghai Medicilon Inc. (“Medicilon”) (stock code: 688202.SH). Through this collaboration, Oncotelic and SAPU will utilize Medicilon’s industry-leading rapid IND development platform to support up to 20 Investigational New Drug (IND) projects. Six of these INDs are ongoing and are focused on next-generation anticancer agents.

Oncotelic and SAPU's partnership with Medicilon is poised to significantly accelerate the development of our innovative oncology pipeline. This collaboration reflects our strategic move to strengthen our position as a leader in novel cancer therapies.

Enabling Rapid Growth: Medicilon’s integrated platform for drug discovery, pharmaceutical research, and preclinical development will expedite the regulatory pathways for Oncotelic’s and SAPU’s upcoming IND submissions.

Portfolio Expansion: This initiative will initially focus on the current six INDs but has the potential to extend up to 20 projects, reflecting the depth of Oncotelic’s and its affiliates’ R&D programs.

Dr. Vuong Trieu, Chairman and CEO of Oncotelic and SAPU, stated, “This partnership is poised to be a game-changer for our development programs. The ability to access a rapid IND-enabling platform is crucial for accelerating SAPU’s and Oncotelic’s development programs. We look forward to continued success working with Medicilon as we advance innovative anticancer agents to the clinic.”

Dr. Chen Chunlin, Founder and CEO of Medicilon, remarked, “We are excited to partner with Oncotelic and SAPU and contribute our international experience in drug R&D. We are a comprehensive, one-stop services organization, from early discovery to IND registration, built to accelerate the translation of Oncotelic and SAPU’s pipeline into new therapeutic options for patients.”

About Medicilon

Medicilon is a leading Contract Research Organization providing a one-stop, integrated research and development services to pharmaceutical enterprises and research institutions worldwide. With a global perspective, Medicilon’s platform covers essential stages of drug discovery, pharmaceutical research, and preclinical development, striving to streamline drug development under international regulatory standards.

Contact
marketing@medicilon.com

About Oncotelic

Oncotelic (f/k/a Mateon Therapeutics, Inc.), was formed in the State of New York in 1988 as OXiGENE, Inc., was reincorporated in the State of Delaware in 1992, and changed its name to Mateon Therapeutics, Inc. in 2016, and Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. in November 2020. Oncotelic is seeking to leverage its deep expertise in oncology drug development to improve treatment outcomes and survival of cancer patients with a special emphasis on rare pediatric cancers. Oncotelic has rare pediatric designation for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (“DIPG” through OT-101) through its 45% joint venture, GMP Biotechnology Limited, melanoma (through CA4P), and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (“AML” through OXi 4503). Oncotelic also acquired PointR Data Inc. in November 2019 to build an AI driven biotechnology company. Further, Oncotelic acquired AL-101, during the 4th quarter of 2021, for the intranasal delivery of apomorphine. We intend to develop AL-101 for the treatment of Parkinson Disease, erectile dysfunction, female sexual disorder and hypoactive sexual desire disorder. All these ailments have a very large population suffering from them and there is a need for treatments for each. For more information on AL-101, refer to our 2023 Annual Report on form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 12, 2024.

Oncotelic's Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this communication regarding strategy, future operations, future financial position, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may", "expect", "anticipate" "hope", "vision", "optimism", "design", "exciting", "promising", "will", "conviction", "estimate," "intend," "believe", "quest for a cure of cancer", "innovation-driven", "paradigm-shift", "high scientific merit", "impact potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about future plans related to the operations of the JV, taking the JV into an initial public offering or the success thereof, the progress, timing of clinical development, scope and success of future clinical trials, the reporting of clinical data for the company's product candidates and the potential use of the company's product candidates to treat various cancer indications as well as obtaining required regulatory approval to conduct clinical trials and upon granting of approval by the regulatory agencies, the successful marketing of the products; building and the success of our nanoparticle platform and the related success of launching the platform, the success of the launch of a company with a DAO infrastructure, the success of the entity and the plans surrounding the pet and animal health, the ability for the Company to register the tokens of Pet2DAO, the actual filing of a registration statement and approval of the PDAO, or any other tokens that we may launch, as registrable securities with the SEC through a registration statement, the ability of the tokens to be tradable or any value such tokens may have if they become tradable.. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements or may not occur at all. Many factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results, including unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical or clinical studies, clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected, changes in expected or existing competition, changes in the regulatory environment, failure of collaborators to support or advance collaborations or product candidates and unexpected litigation or other disputes, taking the Company or its affiliates through initial public offerings. These risks are not exhaustive, the company faces known and unknown risks, including the risk factors described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 12, 2024 and in the company's other periodic filings. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact Information:
For Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc.:
Investor Relations
ir@oncotelic.com