KNOXVILLE, TN, Feb. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Provectus (OTCQB: PVCT) today announced that orphan drug designation (ODD) status was granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to small molecule oncolytic immunotherapy PV-10 for the treatment of ocular melanoma (to include all melanoma disease affecting the eye and orbit). Intratumoral injection of small molecule oncolytic immunotherapy PV-10 can yield immunogenic cell death (ICD) in solid tumor cancers and stimulate tumor-specific reactivity in circulating T cells. 1-4

Ocular melanoma is a general category of melanoma disease affecting the eye and orbit. Its most common form, uveal melanoma, is an intraocular affliction originating in melanocytes in the iris, ciliary body, or choroid. Together with melanomas that form in the conjunctiva, cornea, retina, and orbit, these melanomas constitute ocular melanoma. Approximately half of ocular melanoma patients develop metastatic disease despite successful treatment of their primary tumors. Metastatic disease has historically been, and remains, generally fatal.

Preliminary data from Provectus’ uveal melanoma expansion cohort of its Phase 1 “basket study” of PV-10 for the treatment of cancers metastatic to the liver were presented in a poster presentation at the 15 th International Congress of the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR 2018 Congress) in late-2018: a total of four patients had received PV-10 for at least one uveal melanoma liver tumor, two patients had received a second round of PV-10 treatment to an additional liver tumor, and one patient initiated standard of care immunotherapy (Opdivo® + Yervoy®) between PV-10 treatments; treatment-related adverse events were consistent with established patterns; and, tumor reduction was observed in 5 of 6 PV-10-injected tumors. A copy of the poster presentation is available on the Company’s website.

The FDA grants ODD status to medicines intended for the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of rare diseases or disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. ODD status qualifies companies for benefits that include seven years of market exclusivity following marketing approval, tax credits on U.S. clinical trials, eligibility for orphan drug grants, and waiver of certain administrative fees.

ODD status previously was granted to PV-10 for the treatments of metastatic melanoma in 2006 , hepatocellular carcinoma in 2011 , and neuroblastoma in 2018 .

About PV-10

Provectus’ lead investigational oncology drug, PV-10, the first small molecule oncolytic immunotherapy, can induce immunogenic cell death . PV-10 is undergoing clinical study for adult solid tumor cancers, like melanoma and cancers of the liver, and preclinical study for pediatric cancers .

About Provectus

Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Provectus or the Company) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leading the development of a new class of drugs based on halogenated xanthenes, which are chemical small molecules. Information about the Company’s clinical trials can be found at the NIH registry, www.clinicaltrials.gov . For additional information about Provectus, please visit the Company's website at www.provectusbio.com .

References

1. Wachter et al. Functional Imaging of Photosensitizers using Multiphoton Microscopy . Proceedings of SPIE 4620, 143, 2002.

2. Liu et al. Intralesional rose bengal in melanoma elicits tumor immunity via activation of dendritic cells by the release of high mobility group box 1 . Oncotarget 7, 37893, 2016.

3. Qin et al. Colon cancer cell treatment with rose bengal generates a protective immune response via immunogenic cell death . Cell Death and Disease 8, e2584, 2017.

4. Liu et al. T cell mediated immunity after combination therapy with intralesional PV-10 and blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in a murine melanoma model . PLoS One 13, e0196033, 2018.

Trademarks

OPDIVO® and YERVOY® are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, New York, U.S.A.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. These statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, beliefs, estimates, and expectations and express management's current views of future performance, results, and trends and may be identified by their use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “will,” and other similar terms. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to materially differ from those described in the forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such statements are made as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements after this date.

Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to materially differ from those described in forward-looking statements include those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including those described in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 ).

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Contact: Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Tim Scott, Ph.D. President Phone: (866) 594-5999