VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV), (“Rakovina” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients through the development of novel DNA-damage response inhibitor therapeutics, is pleased to announce a strategic evolution in its business model that will place the Company at the forefront of artificial intelligence-driven (AI) precision medicine for cancer drug development research.

The Company has entered into a collaboration agreement (“Agreement”) with Dr. Artem Cherkasov granting Rakovina exclusive access to the proprietary Deep Docking (trademarked) AI Platform for DNA-damage response targets. Dr. Cherkasov is a professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a senior scientist at the Vancouver Prostate Centre and was appointed to the Company’s scientific advisory board in November 2023.

Using the Deep Docking platform powered by advanced AI algorithms, Rakovina can quickly analyze billions of molecular structures to evaluate their potential as targeted cancer drugs. The company then validates the activity using its established R&D infrastructure. This approach is innovative to developing new drug therapies that target DNA-damage response-related vulnerabilities that are common in many types of cancer.

“This strategic change of business for us is a significant step forward in Rakovina’s mission,” said Executive Chair Jeffrey Bacha. “The Deep Docking AI Platform will rapidly screen billions of drug candidates against validated DNA-damage response targets, predicting safety, efficacy and pharmaceutical properties. We then validate their activity in our confirmatory assays and advance the most promising drug candidates through human clinical trials and pharmaceutical partnerships.”

“Under the leadership of Rakovina’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Mads Daugaard, we are honoured to leverage the expertise of Dr. Cherkasov and the research infrastructure already established in collaboration with UBC. We look forward to sharing additional details with our shareholders on our upcoming conference call,” added Bacha.

Founded in 2021, Rakovina’s mission has always been to transform and prolong the lives of individuals battling cancer. The DNA-damage response is a crucial mechanism for maintaining genomic integrity, and defects in these pathways contribute to the development and progression of many cancers. Rakovina recognizes the urgency of addressing this issue and is committed to developing targeted therapies to overcome resistance to conventional treatments.

Rakovina Strategic Information Conference Call

The Rakovina leadership team and members of the scientific team will be hosting a conference call to provide additional information about the company's new strategic direction and industry insights.

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.

Led by a seasoned team of industry experts, Rakovina is well-positioned to drive innovation in the field of oncology. Bacha brings over 25 years of healthcare and life science experience, while Dr. Daugaard, brings decades of experience in DNA damage responses and translational cancer research.

Further information may be found at www.rakovinatherapeutics.com.

The Company's Scientific Advisory Board, chaired by Dr. Dennis Brown, is composed of esteemed scientists and researchers in the fields of science and cancer research. Members are Dr. Cherkasov, Dr. Petra Hamerlik, Dr. Leonard Post, and Dr. Wang Shen, who bring invaluable expertise to Rakovina Therapeutics' research and development efforts.

For Additional Information Contact:
Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.
David Hyman
Chief Financial Officer
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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 of 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 and other statements. 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.