Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – April 23, 2024) – Defence Therapeutics Inc. CSE: DTC OTCQB: DTCFF FSE: DTC (“Defence” or the “Company“), a Canadian biopharmaceutical company developing novel immune-oncology therapeutics and drug delivery technologies, is pleased to announce that its second-generation ARM^TM anti-cancer vaccine using AccuTOX^®, called ARM-002^TM, is therapeutically effective against pre-established melanoma when combined with the anti-PD-1 immune-checkpoint inhibitor.

Defence’s application of reprogrammed mesenchymal stromal cells (“MSCs”) represents a leading vaccination platform due to its ease in manufacturing and the therapeutic potency that this allogeneic off-the-shelf vaccine can provide. The use of AccuTOX^® to reprogram these MSCs relies mainly on the induction of protein aggregation. This process is known to induce the activation of the unfolded protein response, a cellular defense mechanism normally triggered to destroy any captured protein aggregates due to the toxicity and disturbance it causes to cell integrity.

“Defence’s AccuTOX^® was initially known for its ability to kill cancer cells. In addition, our team found that at specific doses, AccuTOX^® forms protein aggregates when mixed with tumor lysate, a process that pushes MSCs to degrade these intracellular complexes resulting in potent antigen presentation,” says Mr. Plouffe, Chief Executive Officer of Defence Therapeutics.

The original ARM^TM vaccine was potent against melanoma. The ARM-002^TM vaccine is even more potent, as it actually requires 10x less protein. This was confirmed both in vitro (using antigen cross-presentation assay) and in vivo where ARM-002^TM pulsed with 0.05 mg/ml of tumor lysate resulted in similar outcomes compared to ARM-002^TM generated using a dose of 0.5 mg/ml. In addition, the potency of the ARM-002^TM vaccine was comparable in both male and female mice, with no noticeable side effects detected in vaccinated animals. Defence is currently testing the ARM-002^TM vaccine on “hard-to-treat” cancers such as pancreatic, colon and ovarian cancers. These results will set the target indication for the Phase I trials, and it also shows how versatile and adaptable the ARM-002^TM anti-cancer vaccine is.

About Defence:

Defence Therapeutics is a publicly-traded clinical-stage biotechnology company working on engineering the next generation vaccines and ADC products using its proprietary platform. The core of Defence Therapeutics platform is the ACCUM^® technology, which enables precision delivery of vaccine antigens or ADCs in their intact form to target cells. As a result, increased efficacy and potency can be reached against catastrophic illness such as cancer and infectious diseases.

For further information:
Sebastien Plouffe, President, CEO and Director
P: (514) 947-2272
Splouffe@defencetherapeutics.com
www.defencetherapeutics.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Neither the CSE nor its market regulator, as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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