Sorrento to Present Data Demonstrating STI-2020 Preserves Binding Against UK B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 Mutated Spike Protein

Rhea-AI Summary

Sorrento Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRNE) announced preliminary results from its SARS-CoV-2 mutation surveillance program for neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19. Dr. Robert Allen presented data at PepTalk 2021, highlighting STI-2020's maintained efficacy against the B.1.1.7 variant and noting reduced potency against the B.1.351 variant. Additional neutralizing antibodies are under analysis for inclusion in the COVI-SHIELD-2021 cocktail. This data is critical as the CDC predicts these variants may dominate U.S. infections soon.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE, "Sorrento"), announced that it will be presenting preliminary results from an ongoing SARS-CoV-2 mutation surveillance program for its neutralizing antibodies currently in clinical and pre-clinical development for treatment of patients with COVID-19 disease.

Dr. Robert Allen, Senior Vice President, Antiviral and Oncolytic Immunotherapy Development at Sorrento and Chief Scientific Officer of SmartPharm Therapeutics, will be presenting data from the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein variant screening program at PepTalk 2021 today and on Thursday of this week.

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Disclosed data will provide evidence of maintained binding potency by STI-2020 in in vitro assays including the Spike amino acid changes found in SARS-CoV-2 viruses of the B.1.1.7 lineage initially identified in the United Kingdom which has since been detected in ten U.S states. This is highly clinically relevant as it might signify that the STI-2020 antibody currently in clinical trials is not anticipated to behave differently against the new virus variant predicted by the CDC to potentially become the dominant virus variant infecting people in the US as early as March 2021.

Sorrento will also provide early in vitro results of diminished STI-2020 binding potency in assays including Spike proteins derived from viruses of the B.1.351 lineage first identified in South Africa, but yet undetected in the United States.

Additional neutralizing antibodies were identified that bind strongly to the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 spike proteins and are under further analyses for neutralization activities both in vitro and in vivo. Upon further validation, the most promising antibody clones will be selected as potential candidates to be added as components of our COVI-SHIELD antibody cocktail as dictated by the continued emergence of mutations in clinical isolates. Sorrento believes it has in place highly potent antibodies against the most recent UK and South Africa viral variants for inclusion in COVI-SHIELD-2021.

About Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 

Sorrento is a clinical stage, antibody-centric, biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancers. Sorrento's multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including key assets such as fully human antibodies (“G-MAB™ library”), clinical stage immuno-cellular therapies (“CAR-T”, “DAR-T”), antibody-drug conjugates (“ADC”), and clinical stage oncolytic virus (“Seprehvir^®”).  Sorrento is also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against coronaviruses, including COVI-GUARD™, COVI-AMG™, COVI-SHIELD™, Gene-MAb™, COVI-MSC™ and COVI-DROPS™; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVI-TRACK™, COVI-STIX™ and COVI-TRACE™. 

Sorrento's commitment to life-enhancing therapies for patients is also demonstrated by our effort to advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain management small molecule, resiniferatoxin (“RTX”), and SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (SEMDEXA™), a novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica, and to commercialize ZTlido^® (lidocaine topical system) 1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. RTX has completed a phase IB trial for intractable pain associated with cancer and a phase 1B trial in osteoarthritis patients. SEMDEXA is in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica. ZTlido^® was approved by the FDA on February 28, 2018.

For more information visit www.sorrentotherapeutics.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and any statements made for and during any presentation or meeting contain forward-looking statements related to Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the binding potency of STI-2020; the preclinical testing of STI-2020 with respect to viral variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants; the potential clinical relevance and/or significance of such preclinical testing; the identification of neutralizing antibodies that potentially bind strongly to variants in vitro and/or in vivo; and the potential potency of the COVI-SHIELD-2021 antibody cocktail against current or future variants resulting from mutations. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in our forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to: risks related to Sorrento's and its subsidiaries', affiliates’ and partners’ technologies and prospects and collaborations with partners; clinical development risks for STI-2020 and COVI-SHIELD-2021, including risks in the progress, timing, cost, and results of clinical trials and product development programs; risk of diffi

FAQ

What results did Sorrento Therapeutics present regarding COVID-19 antibodies on January 19, 2021?

Sorrento Therapeutics presented preliminary results showing that their antibody STI-2020 maintains binding potency against the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2.

What are the implications of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants for Sorrento's COVID-19 therapies?

Sorrento's data indicates STI-2020's efficacy against B.1.1.7 and reduced potency against B.1.351, impacting the development of their COVI-SHIELD-2021 antibody cocktail.

When is Sorrento presenting further data related to its COVID-19 antibodies?

Sorrento Therapeutics will present additional data on January 21, 2021, focusing on antibody development and clinical trials.

How does STI-2020 perform against emerging COVID-19 variants?

STI-2020 has shown maintained efficacy against the B.1.1.7 variant, but diminished binding potency against the B.1.351 variant, which was first identified in South Africa.

What is the significance of the press release from Sorrento on January 19, 2021?

The press release highlights Sorrento's advancements in neutralizing antibodies for COVID-19 and the clinical relevance of these findings in light of emerging variants.