Sunesis Pharmaceuticals and Viracta Therapeutics Announce Definitive Merger Agreement - Seite 2

Viracta’s lead program evaluates the all-oral combination of nanatinostat, its proprietary investigational drug, and valganciclovir in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of EBV-positive relapsed/refractory lymphomas. There are currently no approved therapies for EBV-associated cancers, which are responsible for over 140,000 deaths each year. Viracta’s precision oncology and biomarker-driven combination product candidate targets EBV-positive cancer cells with an inducible synthetic lethality approach. Viracta plans to initiate a registration trial for the treatment of EBV-positive lymphoma in the first half of 2021, and also plans to initiate a Phase 1b/2 trial in EBV-positive solid tumors in 2021.

“This is a transformational event for Viracta, and I am very pleased to see the company brought forward into the public market,” said Roger Pomerantz, M.D., F.A.C.P., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viracta. “Importantly, Viracta’s novel approach to targeting viral latency represents a completely new medical modality in the landscape of precision oncology, and today is the beginning of an important and exciting new phase in the company’s evolution. EBV-induced malignancies are a high unmet medical need area, and the patients are waiting for novel therapies.”

“After a thorough evaluation of strategic alternatives, the Board of Directors of Sunesis believes this merger is in the best interest of Sunesis’ stockholders and has the potential to deliver near- and long-term value,” said Dayton Misfeldt, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Sunesis. “This transaction will provide the resources for the combined company to leverage Viracta’s scientific platform and pipeline to treat a range of virus-associated cancers and other serious diseases. Viracta shares our mission to develop important new targeted treatments for patients living with cancer, and we are enthusiastic about the prospect of carrying on that mission.”

Ivor Royston, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Viracta added, “The merger and our private financings represent a significant step in Viracta’s growth as a late-stage development company. Our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of EBV-positive lymphomas has produced encouraging efficacy and safety, and these transactions provide meaningful capital as we advance this program towards registration and expand our clinical pipeline. We look forward to building upon our clinical and corporate momentum to create shareholder and patient value, as we advance our important work to address the significant unmet needs in virus-associated malignancies.”