ROCKVILLE, Md., May 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CASI
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASI), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to innovative therapeutics addressing cancer and
other unmet medical needs, announces that China's Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) has
approved the Company's application to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial in fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) patients in China for its proprietary drug candidate, ENMD-2076.
Ken K. Ren, Ph.D., CASI's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased with CFDA's
approval of our application to expand the ongoing Phase 2 trial for FLC into China. This is our fourth approval from CFDA
to conduct Phase 2 trials with our novel and orally-active Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor, and confirms our core competency
to navigate and obtain CFDA approvals to conduct trials in China as part of a global clinical
program."
Dr. Ren commented further, "Our current Phase 2 trial of ENMD-2076 in FLC is active at five sites – Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center, Dana Farber Cancer Center, University of California at San Francisco, University of Colorado-Denver, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center. The recruitment is going very well. We are optimistic about ENMD-2076's potential in the treatment of FLC and look
forward to advancing its development."
About ENMD-2076
ENMD-2076 is an orally-active, Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor with a unique kinase selectivity profile and multiple
mechanisms of action. ENMD-2076 has been shown to inhibit a distinct profile of angiogenic tyrosine kinase targets in
addition to the Aurora A kinase. Aurora kinases are key regulators of mitosis (cell division), and are often over-expressed
in human cancers. ENMD-2076 also targets the VEGFR, Flt-3 and FGFR3 kinases, which have been shown to play important roles
in the pathology of several cancers. ENMD-2076 has shown promising activity in Phase 1 clinical trials in solid tumor
cancers including ovarian, breast, liver, renal and sarcoma, as well as in leukemia and multiple myeloma. CASI is
completing a Phase 2 trial of ENMD-2076 in ovarian cancer. In addition, CASI is conducting a dual-institutional Phase 2
study of ENMD-2076 in triple-negative breast cancer, a Phase 2 study in advanced/metastatic soft tissue sarcoma, a Phase 2
ovarian clear cell carcinomas and a Phase 2 study in fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC). ENMD-2076 has received orphan drug
designation from the U.S. FDA for the treatment of ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, and hepatocellular
carcinoma and EU orphan drug designation for the use of ENMD-2076 to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) including fibrolamellar
carcinomas (FLC).
About CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CASI is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the acquisition, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics
addressing cancer and other unmet medical needs for the global market with a commercial focus on China. CASI's product pipeline includes exclusive rights to MARQIBO® (vinCRIStine sulfate
LIPOSOME injection), ZEVALIN® (ibritumomab tiuxetan) and EVOMELA™ (CE-Melphalan HCI for injection) for greater
China (including Taiwan, Hong
Kong and Macau). CASI's development pipeline also includes its proprietary drug candidate
ENMD-2076, a selective angiogenic kinase inhibitor currently in multiple Phase 2 oncology studies, and 2ME2 (2-methoxyestradial)
an orally active compound that has antiproliferative, antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. CASI is headquartered in
Rockville, Maryland and has a wholly owned subsidiary with R&D operations in Beijing, China. More information on CASI is available at www.casipharmaceuticals.com and in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act with
respect to the outlook for expectations for future financial or business performance, strategies, expectations and goals,
including, without limitation, with respect to the closing of the private placement offering and the anticipated use of the net
proceeds. Forward looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and no duty to update forward-looking statements is
assumed. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including: the
risk that the final closing of the private placement offering does not occur, that we may be unable to continue as a going
concern as a result of our inability to raise sufficient capital for our operational needs; the volatility in the market price of
our common stock; risks relating to interests of our largest stockholders that differ from our other stockholders; the risk of
substantial dilution of existing stockholders in future stock issuances, including as a result of the closing of the private
placement offering; the difficulty of executing our business strategy in China; our inability to
enter into strategic partnerships for the development, commercialization, manufacturing and distribution of our proposed product
candidates or future candidates; risks relating to the need for additional capital and the uncertainty of securing additional
funding on favorable terms; risks associated with our product candidates; risks associated with any early-stage products under
development; the risk that results in preclinical models are not necessarily indicative of clinical results; uncertainties
relating to preclinical and clinical trials, including delays to the commencement of such trials; the lack of success in the
clinical development of any of our products; dependence on third parties; and risks relating to the commercialization, if any, of
our proposed products (such as marketing, safety, regulatory, patent, product liability, supply, competition and other
risks). Such factors, among others, could have a material adverse effect upon our business, results of operations and
financial condition. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which only speak as
of the date made. Additional information about the factors and risks that could affect our business, financial condition and
results of operations, are contained in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at
www.sec.gov.
MARQIBO®, ZEVALIN® and EVOMELA™ are proprietary to Spectrum
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its affiliates.
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SOURCE CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.