Lixisenatide

– ZT002 was safe and well tolerated in both biweekly and monthly dosing arms in patients with overweight or obesity with a tolerability profile aligned with the GLP-1RA class – The open-label extension with ZT002 120 mg, once-monthly, showed 17.1% reduction in body weight at 30 weeks BEIJING, Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Beijing QL Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("QL Biopharm" or the "Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative biologic drugs for the treatment of metabolic diseases, today announces Phase 1c clinical data for its lead drug candidate ZT002 was presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2024, Madrid, Spain. The presentation titled 'ZT002, a novel ultra long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist in adults with overweight or obesity: A randomized, placebo-controlled, multiple ascending dose phase 1c study' highlighted recent findings on QL Biopharm's lead drug candidate ZT002 - a novel ultra long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) in development for obesity with monthly subcutaneous administration. The study enrolled 28 overweight/obese patients in Part A in two cohorts. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive biweekly (Q2W) subcutaneous injections of ZT002 (dose escalated to 40 or 80 mg; n=10+10) or matched placebo (n=4+4) for a 12- or 14- week treatment period, in the 40 mg and 80 mg dose arms, respectively. The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability, and secondary endpoints were pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity. All endpoints were met. Following a 6-week off-drug period, for assessment of pharmacokinetics, Part A was followed by an open-label extension (Part B). In this extension patients from the ZT002 80 mg Q2W cohort voluntarily participated in an additional 12 weeks of treatment with a once-monthly (Q4W) administration of ZT002 120 mg (n=8). The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability, and secondary endpoints were pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity. All endpoints were met. Key conclusions from today's presentation are outlined below: ZT002 was considered safe and well tolerated across the investigated dose range, with a favorable tolerability profile aligned with the GLP-1RA class. The tolerability with both Q2W and Q4W dosing improved over time. The majority of adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate in severity, no serious AEs were reported in the ZT002 treatment groups. Gastrointestinal (GI) treatment emergent adverse events were consistent with the GLP-1RA class; Most common treatment-related adverse events were nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, occurring primarily during dose escalation and decreasing once target dose was reached. The GI AE profile of monthly dosing in Part B appeared similar to biweekly dosing in Part A In Part A, ZT002 demonstrated statistically significantly higher weight reduction compared to placebo with 13.0% body weight reduction from baseline to 14 weeks with ZT002 80 mg Q2W (p<0.001 vs placebo 1.7% body weight reduction). 9.6% body weight reduction from baseline to 12 weeks with ZT002 40 mg Q2W (p<0.001 vs placebo 0.8% body weight reduction). In Part B, a 17.1% body weight reduction from baseline was seen at 30 weeks, when further administering ZT002 120 mg once-monthly (after a 6-week off-drug period). All doses of ZT002 showed improved cardiometabolic parameters including blood pressure, waist circumference, insulin sensitivity, lipids, and liver enzyme levels. The results support further clinical investigation of ZT002 dosed monthly as a treatment for obesity. A Phase 2 program evaluating ZT002 for chronic weight management has been initiated in China and regulatory interaction is planned with U.S. FDA to advance the program outside China. Dr. Zhang Xujia, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of QL Biopharm said: "We are pleased to present data highlighting the potential of ZT002 and its promising clinical profile in obesity care. The additional advantage of monthly dosing simplifies life for patients living with obesity. We look forward to advancing the Phase 2 program for ZT002 in overweight and obesity and providing further updates in due course." Abstracts are available on the EASD website here, and on the QL Biopharm website here. NOTES TO EDITORS About QL Biopharm QL Biopharm is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel best-in-class peptide therapeutics for metabolic diseases. The Company leverages its proprietary E. coli manufacturing process enabling rapid and cost-effective scaling of manufacturing for high volume markets. The lead drug candidate, ZT002, is an ultra long-acting subcutaneously administered GLP-1 receptor agonist, currently in a Phase 2 study for obesity and in Phase 1 for type 2 diabetes. In Phase 1 studies, ZT002 demonstrated potential for once-monthly dosing with compelling weight loss and tolerability consistent with the GLP-1RA class. The Company is also advancing a broader portfolio of novel preclinical assets for the treatment of metabolic diseases, in addition to its biosimilar semaglutide program, currently in Phase 3. QL Biopharm is led by a team of pharma industry veterans with expertise in E. coli–based peptide manufacturing and the development of drugs for metabolic diseases. The Company is backed by leading professional life science investors. For additional information, please visit About EASD The European Association for the Study of Diabetes e.V. (EASD) is a membership-based academic non-profit organization. It was founded in 1965 and its headquarters is based in Duesseldorf, Germany. The aims of the Association are to encourage and support research in the field of diabetes, the rapid diffusion of acquired knowledge and to facilitate its application. SOURCE Beijing QL Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

MIAMI, FL, Sept. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veru Inc. (NASDAQ: VERU), a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative medicines for preserving muscle for high quality weight loss, oncology, and viral induced acute respiratory distress syndrome, today announced that Mitchell Steiner, M.D., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Veru, will present a corporate update with a focus on the progress of Veru’s Phase 2b clinical development program of enobosarm to augment fat loss and to avoid muscle loss when combined with GLP-1 drugs for weight loss at the 2024 Cantor Global Healthcare Conference on September 18th at 1:55 PM – 2:25 PM Eastern Time. A live webcast will be accessible through the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.verupharma.com. Following the event, an archived webcast will be available on the Veru website. About Sarcopenic ObesityAccording to the CDC, 41.5% of older adults have obesity in the United States and could benefit from a weight loss medication. Up to 34.4% of these obese patients over the age of 60 have sarcopenic obesity. This large subpopulation of sarcopenic obese patients is especially at risk for taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss as they already have critically low amount of muscle due to age-related muscle loss. Further loss of muscle mass when taking a GLP-1 RA medication may lead to muscle weakness leading to poor balance, decreased gait speed, mobility disability, loss of independence, falls, bone fractures and increased mortality which is a condition like age-related frailty. Because of the magnitude and speed of muscle loss while on GLP-1 RA therapy for weight loss, GLP-1 RA drugs may accelerate the development of frailty in older obese or overweight elderly patients. About EnobosarmEnobosarm (aka ostarine, MK-2866, GTx-024, and VERU-024), a novel oral daily selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), has been previously studied in 5 clinical studies involving 968 older normal men and postmenopausal women as well as older patients who have muscle wasting because of advanced cancer. Advanced cancer causes the loss of appetite where there is significant unintentional loss or wasting of both muscle and fat mass which is similar to what is observed with in patients taking GLP-1 RA drugs. We believe the totality of the clinical data from these previous five clinical trials demonstrates that enobosarm treatment leads to dose-dependent increases in muscle mass with improvements in physical function as well as significant dose-dependent reductions in fat mass. The patient data that were generated from these five enobosarm clinical trials in both elderly patients and in patients with a cancer induced appetite suppression provide strong clinical rationale for enobosarm. The expectation is that enobosarm in combination with a GLP-1 RA would potentially augment the fat reduction and total weight loss while preserving muscle mass. Enobosarm has a large safety database, which includes 27 clinical trials involving 1581 men and women, some of which included patients dosed for up to 3 years. In this large safety database, enobosarm was generally well tolerated with no increases in gastrointestinal side effects. This is important as there are already significant and frequent gastrointestinal side effects with a GLP-1 RA treatment alone. About Veru Inc.Veru is a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel medicines for the treatment of metabolic diseases, oncology, and ARDS. The Company’s drug development program includes two late-stage novel small molecules, enobosarm and sabizabulin. Enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), is being developed for two indications: (i) Phase 2b clinical study of enobosarm as a treatment to augment fat loss and to prevent muscle loss in sarcopenic obese or overweight elderly patients receiving a GLP-1 RA who are at-risk for developing muscle atrophy and muscle weakness and (ii) subject to the availability of sufficient funding, Phase 3 ENABLAR-2 clinical trial of enobosarm and abemaciclib for the treatment of androgen receptor positive (AR+), estrogen receptor positive (ER+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer in the 2nd line setting. Sabizabulin, a microtubule disruptor, is being developed as a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of hospitalized patients with viral-induced ARDS. The Company does not intend to undertake further development of sabizabulin for the treatment of viral-induced ARDS until we obtain funding from government grants, pharmaceutical company partnerships, or other similar third-party external sources. The Company also has an FDA-approved commercial product, the FC2 Female Condom® (Internal Condom), for the dual protection against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, express or implied statements related to whether and when the phase 2b trial of enobosarm discussed above will produce topline data or patients will progress into the extension study, the planned design, number of sites, timing, endpoints, patient population and patient size of such trial and whether such trial will successfully meet any of its endpoints, whether enobosarm will enhance weight loss or preserve muscle in, or meet any unmet need for, obesity patients and whether it will enhance weight loss and whether the Company will be successful in its transformation into a late stage biopharmaceutical company focused on obesity and oncology. The words "anticipate," "believe," "could," "expect," "intend," "may," "opportunity," "plan," "predict," "potential," "estimate," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon current plans and strategies of the Company and reflect the Company's current assessment of the risks and uncertainties related to its business and are made as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release because of new information or future events, developments or circumstances. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and if any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the development of the Company’s product portfolio and the results of clinical studies possibly being unsuccessful or insufficient to meet applicable regulatory standards or warrant continued development; the ability to enroll sufficient numbers of subjects in clinical studies and the ability to enroll subjects in accordance with planned schedules; the ability to fund planned clinical development as well as other operations of the Company; the timing of any submission to the FDA or any other regulatory authority and any determinations made by the FDA or any other regulatory authority; the Company’s existing product, FC2, and any future products, if approved, possibly not being commercially successful; the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing on acceptable terms when needed to fund development and operations; ; the Company’s failure to timely file certain reports in February 2024 may impair its ability to raise capital under the Company’s current effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 or under a new registration statement; demand for, market acceptance of, and competition against any of the Company’s products or product candidates; new or existing competitors with greater resources and capabilities and new competitive product approvals and/or introductions; changes in regulatory practices or policies or government-driven healthcare reform efforts, including pricing pressures and insurance coverage and reimbursement changes; risks relating to the Company's development of its own dedicated direct to patient telehealth platform, including the Company's lack of experience in developing such a platform, potential regulatory complexity, development costs, and market awareness and acceptance of any telehealth platform we develop; risks relating to our ability to increase sales of FC2 after significant declines in recent periods due to telehealth industry consolidation and the bankruptcy of a large telehealth customer; the Company’s ability to protect and enforce its intellectual property; the potential that delays in orders or shipments under government tenders or the Company’s U.S. prescription business could cause significant quarter-to-quarter variations in the Company’s operating results and adversely affect its net revenues and gross profit; the Company’s reliance on its international partners and on the level of spending by country governments, global donors and other public health organizations in the global public sector; the concentration of accounts receivable with our largest customers and the collection of those receivables; the Company’s production capacity, efficiency and supply constraints and interruptions, including potential disruption of production at the Company’s and third party manufacturing facilities and/or of the Company’s ability to timely supply product due to labor unrest or strikes, labor shortages, raw material shortages, physical damage to the Company’s and third party facilities, product testing, transportation delays or regulatory actions; costs and other effects of litigation, including product liability claims and securities litigation; the Company’s ability to identify, successfully negotiate and complete suitable acquisitions or other strategic initiatives; the Company’s ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, technologies or products; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s press releases, shareholder communications and Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2023, as amended by the Form 10-K/A, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These documents are available on the “SEC Filings” section of our website at www.verupharma.com/investors. Investor and Media Contact: Samuel FischExecutive Director, Investor Relations and Corporate CommunicationsEmail: veruinvestor@verupharma.com