Professor Juan Marchal Believes Propanc Biopharma’s Proenzyme Therapy May Offer New Treatment Opportunity for Cancer Patients
MELBOURNE, Australia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB: PPCB) (“Propanc” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel cancer treatments for patients suffering from recurring and metastatic cancer, announced today that the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board member, internationally recognized cancer expert and Prof. of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Juan Marchal M.D., Ph.D., at the University of Granada, Spain, believes that recent favorable results studying the effects of proenzymes on cancer represents renewed hope for sufferers and predicts an excellent clinical impact as a novel treatment approach. Recent results from the Company’s Proenzymes Optimization Project 1 (“POP1”) Joint Research and Drug Discovery Program showing treatment with pancreatic proenzymes has been shown to decrease the expression of genes related to oncogenesis and metastasis, thus implying it is selectively directed towards inhibiting the spread of cancer. This is particularly significant, since the incidence of metastasis greatly reduces the life expectancy of cancer patients. Furthermore, results indicate that pancreatic proenzymes prepare the body to face the fight against cancer, by reducing the creation of pre-metastatic tumor niches.
In the field of experimental oncology, Prof. Marchal is leading the implementation of different therapeutic strategies directed against cancer stem cells, based on novel synthetic and naturally derived drugs, or a tumor specific suicide gene therapy strategy. He has multiple research partnerships within industry, including through the MEDINA Foundation, sponsored by Merck Sharpe and Dohme (MSD) in partnership with the regional government of Andalusia, Spain, and GENYO, the new Pfizer-University of Granada-Junta de Andalucía Center for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENYO) in Spain.
“Among the projects for the formulation and detection of anti-cancer factors we are carrying out in our laboratory, the study of the effects of pancreatic proenzymes is one of the most exciting. This research is the result of over a decade long collaboration between my research group and Propanc, led by my colleague, Prof. Macarena Perán (Ph.D.), which I am also very involved with,” said Prof. Marchal. “I am delighted to continue collaborating closely with Propanc. We are looking at the possibility of implementing Phase II clinical studies on patients with pancreatic and ovarian cancers in Spain, after a Phase I, First-In-Human (FIH) study is completed in Australia. We recently discussed the project with reputable oncologists and they confirmed their interest in participating. Searching for new cancer treatments to achieve a definitive cure for cancer patients is my motivation.”
“We continue to work with oncology experts like Profs. Marchal and Perán, and the scientific observations we have made regarding the effects of proezyme therapy as an effective cancer treatment are convincing,” said Dr. Julian Kenyon M.B.Ch.B., M.D., Propanc’s Chief Scientific Officer. “Since I first commenced my physician sponsored clinical research into proenzyme therapy nearly fifteen years ago, many of my initial observations have been proven scientifically, which leads me to conclude that proenzymes can prevent and treat metastatic cancer from solid tumors, which is the main cause of patient death for sufferers. I am very excited to see what our therapy can do for cancer patients in future clinical studies.”
The POP1 program is designed to produce a further enhanced clinical compound to the Company’s lead product candidate, PRP, which is entering clinical stage. The objective is to produce large quantities of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen for commercial use that exhibits minimal variation between lots and without sourcing the proenzymes from animals. Propanc is undertaking the challenging research project in collaboration with the Universities of Jaén and Granada, led by research scientists Mr. Aitor González M.Sc. and Ms. Belen Toledo M.Sc., supported by Profs. Perán and Marchal, representing the Universities, and Dr. Kenyon.
About Professor Juan Marchal
Prof Juan Antonio Marchal, M.D, Ph.D., is a Professor of Human Anatomy and Embryology (Faculty of Medicine) at the University of Granada. He obtained his PhD in 1996 in this university working on the implementation of a novel differentiation therapy against human rhabdomyosarcoma and received the 1996 Ph.D. Excellence award in Medicine and Surgery for his dissertation. Prof. Marchal has been a visiting scholar at several Universities (Facoltá di Medicina e Chirurgia, Universitá degli Studi di Sassari, Italy, Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador, and research institutions, CIBO-Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, Guadalajara, México. He has 235 publications in journals, of which 190 are included in the JCR, which have 3,441 citations. He is the author of 42 books and book chapters with nationally and internationally recognized publishers. Prof. Marchal has participated in 57 projects from different organizations and foundations, including MEC, ISCIII, Eurostarts-2 FIPSE, Andalusia government, MCINN, MINECO, MICIU, Fundación BBVA, and CEI Biotic Granada, acting as Principal Investigator for 25 of those projects.
He has been an inventor of 24 patents (6 licensed). Moreover, he is Co-Founder of the EBT Regemat 3D (http://www.regemat3d.com/), Lentistem S.L. (https://lentistem.weebly.com/) and the Spin-off PKR-Exogenetics S.L., and Scientific Advisor for Propanc Biopharma.
He has received 11 research awards, among them 1st Prize for Health Research of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, and the award of the Social Council of the University of Granada. He serves as reviewer for 48 top journals and research organizations and foundations (MICIU and FPS, Spain; ANR, France; DCS, DHF and NWO, Holland; Nauki, Poland; ISF, Israel; NCSTE, Kazajistán; ANPCyT, Argentina and WCR, UK). In addition, he is the director of the Chair Drs. Galera and Requena of Cancer Stem Cell Research at the University of Granada.
Prof. Marchal is Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Granada District since 2006 and the director of the group “Advances Therapies: differentiation, regeneration and cancer (TERADIRECA)” composed of 18 members including medical doctors, biologists, pharmacists, biochemists, biomedical engineers and bioinformatics as well as external collaborators and visiting scientists.
Prof. Marchal has several national and international scientific collaborations reflected in joint publications and grants. The most highlighted are: Prof. Mark Bradley (University of Edinburgh, UK), Prof. David Tosh (University of Bath, UK), Prof. Gerar O’Connor (National University of Ireland, UK); Prof. Juan Carlos Izpisúa (Salk Institute, USA), Prof. Sand Jin Lee (Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA), Dr. Jenny C Chang (Houston Methodist Cancer Center, USA); Dr. Marc Ferrer (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, USA), Prof. Joyce M Slingerland (Georgetown University, USA), Prof. Lorenzo Moroni (Maastricht University, The Netherlands), Dr. Joaquím M Oliveira and Prof. Rui L. Reis (University of Minho, Portugal), Prof. Roberto Madeddu (University of Sassari, Italy).
About Propanc Biopharma, Inc.
Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (the “Company”) is developing a novel approach to prevent recurrence and metastasis of solid tumors by using pancreatic proenzymes that target and eradicate cancer stem cells in patients suffering from pancreatic, ovarian and colorectal cancers. For more information, please visit www.propanc.com.
The Company’s novel proenzyme therapy is based on the science that enzymes stimulate biological reactions in the body, especially enzymes secreted by the pancreas. These pancreatic enzymes could represent the body’s primary defense against cancer.
To view the Company’s “Mechanism of Action” video on its anti-cancer lead product candidate, PRP, please click on the following link: http://www.propanc.com/news-media/video
Forward-Looking Statements
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Contacts
Investor Relations and Media:
Mr. James Nathanielsz
Propanc Biopharma, Inc.
[email protected]
+61-3-9882-0780
