VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV, the “Company” or “Rakovina Therapeutics”) a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new cancer therapies based on novel DNA-damage response technologies is pleased to announce the expansion of two research collaborations to align with its recently announced collaboration with the Deep Docking AI Drug Discovery Platform.

On March 27, 2024, the Company announced an agreement granting Rakovina Therapeutics exclusive access to the proprietary Deep Docking AI platform for DNA-damage response targets. Using the Deep Docking AI platform, the Company is analyzing billions of molecular structures to evaluate their potential as targeted cancer drugs.

“These partnerships allow us to capitalize on the Deep Docking AI platform while maintaining high standards of research,” said Rakovina Therapeutics Executive Chairman, Jeffrey Bacha. “The most promising lead candidates will be validated using the Company’s established R&D infrastructure and advanced to human clinical trials and pharmaceutical partnerships.”

To support these drug development efforts, the Company has expanded a collaboration with Pharma Inventor Inc., a British Columbia-based chemistry R&D and analytical services company serving pharmaceutical and biotech industries, as well as research institutes and academic research groups across North America. Pharma Inventor has agreed to provide medicinal chemistry support to rapidly synthesize novel lead drug candidates identified by the Deep Docking AI platform for further validation by the Company. Rakovina Therapeutics will own all rights to novel molecules developed through the collaboration.  

The Company has also extended and expanded its collaborative research agreement with the University of British Columbia (UBC). Rakovina Therapeutics’ established lead optimization research infrastructure at the University’s Vancouver Prostate Center will provide rapid validation of novel drug candidates identified through the Deep Docking AI platform.

According to Rakovina Therapeutics President and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Mads Daugaard, “We are expanding these important research collaborations to support the company's recently announced collaboration with the Deep Docking AI platform. This ramp-up will position us to capitalize on the opportunity of this collaboration.”

“Over the next 12 to 16 weeks, we intend to screen six to eight billion compounds against our initial DDR target and anticipate synthesizing a short-list of the most promising novel drug candidates for in vitro and in vivo validation through our in-house laboratory infrastructure,” he added. Dr. Daugaard is also a professor at UBC.

“Our goal is to advance promising lead candidates toward clinical trials through collaboration with pharmaceutical development partners. With recent announcements of pre-clinical licensing deals in the DNA-damage response arena, we're confident in our ability to generate shareholder value in the near term,” said Bacha.

About Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.

Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. is focused on the development of new cancer treatments based on novel DNA-damage response technologies.  The Company has established a pipeline of novel DNA-damage response inhibitors with the goal of advancing one or more drug candidates into human clinical trials and obtaining marketing approval for new cancer therapeutics from Health Canada, the United States Food and Drug Administration and similar international regulatory agencies. Further information may be found at www.rakovinatherapeutics.com.

About Pharma Inventor Inc.

Pharma Inventor Inc. is a Canadian chemistry research and development and analytical services company located in Vancouver, British Colombia. Pharma Inventor was established in 2013 to provide inventive and high-quality medicinal chemistry solutions in drug discovery research. Pharma Inventor has established a state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry facility relevant to AI-based drug discovery. Its skilled team of international scientists serve the needs of pharmaceutical, biotech, research institutes and academic research groups to expedite their discovery R&D projects with innovative chemistry solutions. Further information may be found at www.pharmainventor.com.

About the Vancouver Prostate Center at the University of British Columbia

The Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) has a track record of success that has earned it a reputation as one of the world’s most respected cancer facilities.  It is a National Centre of Excellence and a designated Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research. The VPC hosted by the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and the University of British Columbia. Its research capabilities range from molecular biology to functional genomics and human clinical trials.

The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the content of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Company and its respective business, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the proposed business plan of the Company; the Company’s commitment to advancing new cancer therapies; the ability of the Company to extract value from the Deep Docking AI platform; the Company’s ability to execute on its business plans while maintaining high standards of research; the ability of Pharma Inventor Inc. to accurately provide medicinal chemistry support; the projected timeline and effectiveness of the Company’s strategy to utilize the Deep Docking AI platform; and the Company’s ability to generate shareholder value.. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “is expected”, “expects”, “scheduled”, “intends”, “contemplates”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “proposes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events, or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, including risks regarding the medical device industry, economic factors, regulatory factors, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.   The reader is referred to the Company’s most recent filings on SEDAR for a more complete discussion of all applicable risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Company’s profile page at www.sedar.com.

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Invest Relations & Media
Ira M. Gostin
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