Sunesis Provides Educational Grant to Support Campaign Sponsor CancerCare
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 25, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNSS) today
announced its support for the first-ever Acute Myeloid Leukemia Awareness Month to be held in June. The goal of the campaign,
which is being sponsored by CancerCare, is to put a spotlight on the disease, a rare and difficult-to-treat blood cancer
that typically affects older adults.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow and can worsen quickly if left
untreated. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is estimated that there will be 19,950 new cases of acute
myeloid leukemia in 2016 and an estimated 10,430 people will die from the disease. AML is more common in older adults, who
are also the most difficult to treat, with 67 as the median age of diagnosis. While progress in treating leukemia has been made,
there has been only one AML treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the past 30 years (and that drug was
subsequently withdrawn from the market).
Patricia J. Goldsmith, CEO of CancerCare, said, “AML Awareness Month will feature in-depth information
about AML on the organization’s website, including a video that features NBA broadcaster Craig Sager who is battling the disease,
as well as his son, Craig, Jr., who donated his bone marrow twice in an effort to save his father. The website will also offer
people living with AML and their caregivers easy-to-use, informative resources to understand their condition. We thank
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals for their unrestricted educational grant which has helped to support the development of these
resources.”
“We are delighted to be supporting CancerCare’s efforts to raise awareness of acute myeloid leukemia,”
said Daniel Swisher, Chief Executive Officer of Sunesis. “Because it is a rare disease with an older patient population,
there has been little attention focused on AML. As a company that is determined to deliver a new treatment option for
this disease, we want to support the AML community by helping to provide more education and information for patients and
caregivers.”
Goldsmith added, “The AML community’s voice has not always been heard because the disease itself is so rare and
the mortality rate is so high. We hope to put a spotlight on AML in June and help focus attention on the urgent need these
patients and their families have for hope.”
Patients and caregivers can find educational resources on AML online at www.cancercare.org; an unrestricted educational grant from Sunesis has helped to support the
development of the informational resources on AML which also includes a patient and caregiver workshop webinar to be held on June
17.
About CancerCare®
Founded in 1944, CancerCare is the leading national organization providing free, professional support
services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical and financial challenges of cancer. Our comprehensive
services include counseling and support groups over the phone, online and in-person, educational workshops, publications and
financial and co-payment assistance. All CancerCare services are provided by oncology social workers and world-leading
cancer experts. Headquartered in New York, NY, CancerCare maintains three additional locations in Norwalk, CT, Ridgewood,
NJ and Syosset, NY.
To learn more, visit www.cancercare.org or call 800-813-HOPE (4673).
About Sunesis Pharmaceuticals
Sunesis is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of new oncology
therapeutics for the potential treatment of solid and hematologic cancers. Sunesis has built a highly experienced cancer drug
development organization committed to improving the lives of people with cancer and is currently pursuing regulatory approval in
Europe for its lead product candidate, vosaroxin, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia in patients
aged 60 and older. In addition, the company is advancing its kinase-inhibitor pipeline of novel targeted therapies into the
clinic.
For additional information on Sunesis, please visit http://www.sunesis.com.
SUNESIS and the logos are trademarks of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to Sunesis' corporate objectives,
including the anticipated progress and potential approval of vosaroxin by the EMA, potential ex-US partnership, and the expected
progress in its kinase inhibitor pipeline. Words such as “prospects,” “look forward,” "potential," "will" and similar expressions
are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Sunesis' current expectations.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Sunesis' actual results and the timing of events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include,
without limitation, the risk that Sunesis may not be able to receive regulatory approval of vosaroxin in the U.S. or Europe, that
Sunesis' development activities for vosaroxin could be otherwise halted or significantly delayed for various reasons, the risk that
Sunesis' clinical studies for vosaroxin or other product candidates, including its pipeline of kinase inhibitors, may not
demonstrate safety or efficacy or lead to regulatory approval, the risk that data to date and trends may not be predictive of
future data or results, risks related to the conduct of Sunesis' clinical trials, risks related to Sunesis' need for substantial
additional funding to complete the development and commercialization of vosaroxin and other product candidates, and risks related
to Sunesis' ability to raise the capital that it believes to be accessible and is required to fully finance the development and
commercialization of vosaroxin and other product candidates. These and other risk factors are discussed under "Risk Factors" and
elsewhere in Sunesis' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and Sunesis' other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Sunesis expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates
or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Sunesis' expectations with regard thereto
or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
Investor and Media Inquiries: David Pitts Argot Partners 212-600-1902 Eric Bjerkholt Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc. 650-266-3717