UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
On September 30, 2022, Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing an oral presentation entitled “Topotecan enhances oncolytic adenovirus infection, replication and antitumor activity in retinoblastoma,” featuring Dr. Victor Burgueño, Professor at Fundació Sant Joan de Déu at the SIOP 2022 Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (the “SIOP”), being held in Barcelona, Spain from September 28-October 1, 2022. The new data further support evaluation of VCN-01, an oncolytic adenovirus expressing hyaluronidase, and topotecan for the treatment of refractory retinoblastoma.
The information in this Item 7.01 and in the press release furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section or Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission made by the Company, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.
The press release furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K includes “safe harbor” language pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, indicating that certain statements contained therein are “forward-looking” rather than historical.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On September 30, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing an oral presentation entitled “Topotecan enhances oncolytic adenovirus infection, replication and antitumor activity in retinoblastoma,” featuring Dr. Victor Burgueño, Professor at Fundació Sant Joan de Déu at the SIOP 2022 Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology, being held in Barcelona, Spain from September 28-October 1, 2022. The new data from the study for which Dr. Victor Burgueño is the lead investigator further support evaluation of VCN-01, an oncolytic adenovirus expressing hyaluronidase, and topotecan for the treatment of refractory retinoblastoma. Key data and conclusions showcased in the SIOP presentation include:
• | VCN-01 treatment in combination with topotecan, but not with carboplatin or melphalan, significantly increased VCN-01 infection and replication in retinoblastoma cells (p=0.0007) in vitro. |
• | In athymic mice engrafted with human retinoblastomas, topotecan administered systemically after intratumoral VCN-01 increased viral genome replication and the number of VCN-01 infected cells when compared to administration of VCN-01 alone (p = 0.0002). |
• | Sequential administration of intratumoral VCN-01 followed by systemic topotecan significantly increased median ocular survival, compared to VCN-01 alone (p =0.0364). |
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) | Exhibits. |
Exhibit Number |
Description | |
99.1 | Press Release issued by Synthetic Biologics, Inc., dated September 30, 2022 | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the XBRL document) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report on Form 8-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: September 30, 2022 | SYNTHETIC BIOLOGICS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Steven A. Shallcross | ||
Name: | Steven A. Shallcross | ||
Title: |
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer |