Resverlogix Announces Publication in High-impact, Peer-reviewed Journal, Clinical Epigenetics

Publication Explores the Beneficial Effects of Apabetalone on the Immune Cells of Diabetic Patients

Event Reminder: Multiple Presentations on Apabetalone to be made during the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions – November 13-17

CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Resverlogix Corp. (“Resverlogix” or the “Company”) (TSX:RVX) announced today the recent publication of an article titled: “BET protein inhibitor apabetalone (RVX-208) suppresses pro-inflammatory hyper-activation of monocytes from patients with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes”, in the high-impact, peer-reviewed Clinical Epigenetics.

The publication can be viewed using the following LINK. As previously announced, additional information related to this study, and others on apabetalone, will be presented in an oral presentation at the 2020 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions (see details below).

“Building on our previous work, this study shows apabetalone treatment works directly on immune cells that contribute to cardiovascular disease and has great potential to reduce cardiovascular risk in diabetes and chronic kidney disease patients,” said Dr. Ewelina Kulikowski, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Resverlogix, and a corresponding author of the paper. “In addition, during the coming AHA meeting, we look forward to presenting additional BETonMACE findings including how apabetalone may prove beneficial in preventing SARS-CoV-2 viral entry in human cell lines.”

Publication Highlights include:

• Immune cells taken directly from diabetes and cardiovascular disease patients have an activated state of inflammation compared to the cells of matched control patients
• When immune cells are activated by inflammation, it can trigger a cascade of events leading to vascular damage and disease
• Apabetalone treatment dampens the response of immune cells to inflammation, preventing them from activating unnecessarily, and reversing damaging disease processes
• These findings may help explain apabetalone’s beneficial effect on cardiovascular outcomes, as observed in BETonMACE

Publication Background and Conclusions:

Activation of immune cells is an important process in the development of atherosclerosis and contributes to cardiovascular risk. The findings published in this article highlight the central role of BET proteins in driving the expression of disease risk factors in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Apabetalone treatment, acting at the epigenetic level, can reduce the activation of disease-promoting cells, helping us better understand how BET inhibitors reduce cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease risk in type 2 diabetes patients.

Event Reminder – AHA Scientific Sessions, November 13-17, 2020

Through participation at leading industry events, including the AHA Scientific Sessions, the Company continues to highlight apabetalone and its ability to regulate multiple biological pathways that underlie chronic disease, as well as presenting new research related to COVID-19. Further details of the presentations are outlined below, and the posters may be found HERE, when available.

• Oral Presentation: BET Protein Inhibitor Apabetalone Suppresses Inflammatory Hyperactivation of Monocytes from Patients with Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
  • Presentation will discuss the important role of macrophage hyperactivation in driving CVD in diabetic patients and demonstrate apabetalone’s reduction of maladaptive gene expression in these cells
• Poster Presentation: Apabetalone (RVX-208) Reduces ACE2 Expression in Human Cell Culture Systems, Which Could Attenuate SARS-CoV-2 Viral Entry
  • New data will be presented showing apabetalone treatment reduces expression of the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor that is essential for SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, in human cell lines
• Poster Presentation: Reduction in the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events with Apabetalone, a BET Protein Inhibitor, in Patients with Recent Acute Coronary Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes According to Insulin Treatment: Analysis of the BETonMACE Trial
  • A new post-hoc analysis of BETonMACE will be presented examining the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) events to enrolled patients according to their concomitant insulin treatment

About Resverlogix

Resverlogix is developing apabetalone (RVX-208), a first-in-class, small molecule that is a selective BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal) inhibitor. Apabetalone is the first therapy of its kind to have been granted US FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation – for a major cardiovascular indication – to help facilitate a time-efficient drug development program including planned clinical trials and plans for expediting the manufacturing development strategy.

BET inhibition is an epigenetic mechanism that can regulate disease-causing genes. Apabetalone is a BET inhibitor selective for the second bromodomain (BD2) within the BET proteins. This selective inhibition of apabetalone on BD2 produces a specific set of biological effects with potentially important benefits for patients with high-risk cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis, neurodegenerative disease, Fabry disease, peripheral artery disease and other orphan diseases, while maintaining a well described safety profile.

Resverlogix common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RVX).

Follow us on:

• Twitter: @Resverlogix_RVX
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resverlogix-corp-/

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations
Email: ir@resverlogix.com
Phone: 403-254-9252
Or visit our website: www.resverlogix.com

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “expects”, “continue”, “estimate”, “forecasts” and other similar expressions. In particular, this news release includes forward looking information related to multiple presentations on apabetalone being made at the AHA Scientific Sessions meeting and the potential role of apabetalone in the treatment of patients with high-risk cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis, neurodegenerative disease, Fabry disease, peripheral artery disease and other orphan diseases. Our actual results, events or developments could be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events or expectations will occur or be realized. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions and risk factors including those discussed in our Annual Information Form and most recent MD&A which are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.