Propanc Biopharma Appoints Belen Toledo to Evaluate Impact of Proenzyme Therapy on Tumor Microenvironment

Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB: PPCB) (“Propanc” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel cancer treatments for patients suffering from recurring and metastatic cancer, announced today that the Company appointed Ms. Belen Toledo MSc., a biotechnologist specializing in cell regenerative medicine, to evaluate the impact of proenzyme therapy on the tumor microenvironment. Ms. Toledo’s work will be part of the Proenzymes Optimization Project 1 (“POP1”) Joint Research and Drug Discovery Program designed to produce synthetic recombinant, commercial scale quantities of the two proenzymes trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen.

Ms. Toledo, will elucidate molecular pathways involved in the proenzymes anti-tumor efficacy and study how they interact with the pre-metastatic tumor niche, focusing on the interaction and suppression of tumor associated cells, like cancer-associated fibroblasts and macrophages. A pre-metastatic tumor niche is an environment in a secondary organ conducive to the metastasis (spreading) of a primary tumor. Such a niche provides favorable conditions for growth, and eventually metastasis, in an otherwise foreign and hostile environment for the primary tumor cells. Metastasis remains the main cause of patient death from solid tumors for cancer sufferers. To achieve this, Ms. Toledo will use integrated tumor models in a microfluidics chip by obtaining 3-dimensional bio-impressions of tumor cells from patients with advanced solid tumors, developed at the Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain, led by Prof. Juan Marchal M.D.

“Belen Toledo is a very capable biotechnologist who is excited about the project and its potential as a novel approach for the prevention and treatment of metastatic cancer. We look forward to exploring the potential of proenzyme therapy, which is groundbreaking research,” said Prof. Macarena Perán, Ph.D., Lecturer and Joint Research Supervisor from Jaén University.

“The application of 3D tumor models on-a-chip will allow us to faithfully recreate tumor heterogeneity and stroma-tumor interactions. We aim to evaluate the effect of proenzyme therapy on effective personalized therapy models, generated from a small biopsy of patients,” said Prof. Juan Antonio Marchal M.D., Joint Research Supervisor from Granada University.

“Evaluating the effects of proenzyme therapy in the tumor microenvironment is critically important, as it tells us the drug is able to penetrate into this target area and exert its effects. At the same time, it confirms the selectivity of the drug on solid tumors, by targeting cancer cells and leaving healthy cells alone. The scientific implications provide us with confidence that our drug is effective and less toxic compared to standard treatment approaches,” said Dr. Julian Kenyon M.D., Propanc’s Chief Scientific Officer and Joint Research Supervisor.

The POP1 program is designed to produce a backup clinical compound to the Company’s lead product candidate, PRP. The objective is to produce large quantities of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen for commercial use that exhibits minimal variation between lots and without sourcing the proenzymes from animals. Propanc is undertaking the challenging research project in collaboration with the Universities of Jaén and Granada, led by research scientists Mr. Aitor González MSc. and Ms. Toledo, supported by Profs. Perán and Marchal, representing the Universities and Dr. Kenyon.

About Propanc Biopharma, Inc.

Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (the “Company”) is developing a novel approach to prevent recurrence and metastasis of solid tumors by using pancreatic proenzymes that target and eradicate cancer stem cells in patients suffering from pancreatic, ovarian and colorectal cancers. For more information, please visit www.propanc.com.

The Company’s novel proenzyme therapy is based on the science that enzymes stimulate biological reactions in the body, especially enzymes secreted by the pancreas. These pancreatic enzymes could represent the body’s primary defense against cancer.

To view the Company’s “Mechanism of Action” video on its anti-cancer lead product candidate, PRP, please click on the following link: http://www.propanc.com/news-media/video

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