Sunshine Biopharma Inc. (OTC PINK:SBFM), a pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of oncology and antiviral drugs, today announced that it has initiated a momentous transgenic mice study of its COVID-19 treatment that has been under development since May of last year. Sunshine Biopharma’s COVID-19 treatment consists of a series of small molecules which suppress replication of the virus by inhibiting a key virus encoded protease that is responsible for compromising the immune system of infected patients. The mice studies are currently underway at the University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy.
The mice being used in the study have been genetically engineered to express the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) transmembrane protein in their lungs making them susceptible to lethal infection by SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses the hACE2 receptor to gain entry into human cells to replicate. The goal of the study is to determine if Sunshine Biopharma’s protease inhibitors will protect the hACE2-transgenic mice from disease progression and death following infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“Should these mice studies prove successful, we plan to submit the results to the FDA for authorization to conduct testing on actual COVID-19 patient volunteers in a Phase I clinical trial setting,” said Dr. Steve Slilaty, CEO of Sunshine Biopharma. “We are excited to have initiated this pivotal study on transgenic mice with the University of Georgia. The implications of a COVID-19 treatment becoming available are vast. This is particularly the case in view of the fact that some of the variants emerging around the world are more virulent and may escape neutralization by the current vaccines,” he added.
About Sunshine Biopharma’s Coronavirus Treatment Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiologic agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 2.3 million people worldwide since it first appeared in December 2019. There are currently no drugs that can effectively arrest replication of the virus in people who have contracted the illness. On May 22, 2020, Sunshine Biopharma filed a provisional patent application for several molecules which were designed by computer-aided modeling to inhibit the Coronavirus proteases, thus shutting down the ability of the virus to multiply. Sunshine Biopharma has since completed the synthesis of four such molecules and identified a lead compound, SBFM-PL4. In collaboration with the University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy, the Company is currently advancing the development of SBFM-PL4 through the in vitro testing stage to be followed by mice studies, currently underway, before entering clinical trials on COVID-19 patients.
About Sunshine Biopharma In addition, to working on the development of a treatment for COVID-19, Sunshine Biopharma is engaged in the development Adva-27a, a unique anticancer compound. Tests conducted to date have demonstrated the effectiveness of Adva-27a at destroying Multidrug Resistant Cancer Cells, including Pancreatic Cancer cells, Small-Cell Lung Cancer cells, Breast Cancer cells, and Uterine Sarcoma cells. Clinical trials for Pancreatic Cancer indication are planned to be conducted at McGill University’s Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada. Sunshine Biopharma is owner of all patents and intellectual property pertaining to Adva-27a.
Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues statements related to our financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the SEC. Among other matters, the Company may not be able to sustain growth or achieve profitability based upon many factors including but not limited to general stock market conditions. Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in the Company’s most recent SEC filings. We have incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in our expansion of our existing as well as new service lines noting there is no assurance that we will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long term. Additional service offerings may expose us to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s) based upon the various geopolitical locations we will be providing services in, the impact of which cannot be predicted at this time.