Arch Biopartners Receives Health Canada Authorization to Amend Phase II Trial Protocol for LSALT Peptide

TORONTO, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arch Biopartners Inc. (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF), a clinical stage company developing new drug candidates for preventing organ inflammation, announced today that Health Canada has provided a No Objection Letter for the Company’s protocol amendments for the Phase II trial of its lead drug LSALT peptide (Metablok), targeting acute lung injury and acute kidney injury caused by inflammation in patients with severe cases of COVID-19.

The protocol amendments were recommended by clinical investigators and key medical advisors assisting with the study and were based on information gathered to date from the first 45 patients recruited into the Phase II trial. The changes to the protocol were designed to facilitate enrollment and execution of the sixty-patient study, improve patient care for those undergoing treatment and to broaden patient eligibility to receive Metablok.

The amendments approved by Health Canada include the lowering of the minimum age of patients admissible into the trial to 18 years from 45 and a simplified treatment regimen including the reduction in daily blood draws based on the safety profile observed in prior patients.

The amended protocol has now been distributed to the two clinical sites currently active in Calgary, Canada and will be adopted by the Canadian clinical teams following local internal review board approval. The amended protocol will also be submitted to the U.S. FDA, as well as the Turkish Ministry of Health, with adoption by the participating clinical sites in the USA and Turkey as soon as possible.

“We appreciate the rapid review and approval of the protocol amendment by Health Canada. The amended protocol will broaden the patient base and simplify our Phase II trial for Metablok. We look forward to the approval of the amendment by the respective ethic committees to make our trial more patient friendly, less labour intensive and more inclusive for a wider range of patients,” said Richard Muruve, CEO of Arch.

About the Phase II trial for LSALT Peptide

The Phase II trial is an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof of concept study of LSALT peptide (Metablok) as prevention of organ inflammation known to trigger acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) or new variants of the virus. ARDS is the leading cause of death in COVID-infected patients. AKI has been observed in approximately 35% of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and is also a leading cause of mortality.¹

The composite primary endpoint of the Phase II trial reflects the severe effects often experienced by hospitalized COVID-19 patients and deemed appropriate for LSALT peptide’s novel mechanism of action in blocking consequential inflammation in the lungs, kidneys, and other organs.

Additional information about the Phase II trial can be found at:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04402957

The Phase II results will be used to design the Phase III program, including greater patient numbers to more fully evaluate efficacy and safety in hospitalized patients at risk to inflammation in the lungs, kidneys or liver.

About COVID-19

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that emerged in China in late 2019. Severe complications from COVID-19 are in large part due to excessive host immune responses to the virus that result in progressive lung inflammation and acute respiratory distress syndrome that often requires mechanical ventilation and critical care¹. Patients with severe COVID-19 also experience multiple organ dysfunction including acute kidney injury, liver dysfunction, cardiac failure, and blood abnormalities. Currently, no effective antiviral drug or specific treatment exists for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Treatment of severe COVID-19 has been primarily supportive, relying heavily on respiratory, infectious diseases, and critical care medicine.

Survival rates and health care system capacity could both be improved with new treatments that prevent the severe manifestations of COVID-19, such as worsening lung inflammation (ARDS) and AKI experienced by patients infected with SARS-CoV-2² or the many variants that have emerged globally in recent months.

¹ Hirsch JS et al. Acute kidney injury in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Kidney Int. 2020
   doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2020.05.006.
² J. S. Ayres, Sci. Adv 10.1126/sciadv.abc1518 (2020)

About Arch Biopartners

Arch Biopartners Inc. is a clinical stage company focused on the development of innovative technologies that have the potential to make a significant medical or commercial impact.  Arch is developing a pipeline of new drug candidates that inhibit inflammation in the lungs, liver and kidneys via the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP-1) pathway for multiple medical indications.

Continuing under development in the Arch portfolio are: AB569, a potential new treatment for antibiotic resistant bacterial infections in wounds, the lungs and urinary tract; and, ‘Borg’ peptide coatings that increase corrosion resistance and decrease bacterial biofilm on various medical grade metals and plastics.

For more information on Arch Biopartners, its technologies and other public documents Arch has filed on SEDAR, please visit www.archbiopartners.com

The Company has 61,462,302 common shares outstanding, following the exercise of 100,000 stock options by an arms-length consultant to the Company for proceeds of $60,000.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, in this news release are forward looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change.

The science and medical contents of this release have been approved by the Company’s Chief Science Officer

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain Covid-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

CONTACT: For more information, please contact:

Richard Muruve
Chief Executive Officer
Arch Biopartners, Inc.
647-428-7031
info@archbiopartners.com