CohBar Presents New Antifibrotic Data at the American Thoracic Society’s Virtual 2020 Conference

In vivo data demonstrates antifibrotic effects of multiple novel peptide analogs in preclinical models of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)

MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CohBar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWBR), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing mitochondria based therapeutics to treat chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespan, announced today that its ePoster featuring new antifibrotic data is now available to registered attendees of the American Thoracic Society’s Virtual 2020 Conference, being held August 5 to 10, 2020. The ePoster presents data on CohBar’s MBT2 (CB5138-1), which is an analog of a mitochondrially encoded peptide, CB5138, discovered by CohBar. The ePoster also shows new data for additional analogs of CB5138 in the therapeutic mouse model of IPF. Analogs of CB5138 represent a novel class of molecules derived from a natural, mitochondrially encoded peptide source, with potential for treatment of IPF and other fibrotic diseases.

The new data are being presented in an ePoster titled: “MBT2, a Novel Analog of a Mitochondrially Encoded Peptide, Inhibits Fibrogenesis in Cultured Human Lung Cells and is Effective in Mouse Models of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).” The ePoster will be available immediately on the CohBar homepage, www.cohbar.com.

“With these additional data, our family of antifibrotic CB5138 analogs now extends beyond the first example, MBT2, also called CB1538-1,” said Kenneth C. Cundy, Ph.D., CohBar’s Chief Scientific Officer. “This new class of mitochondria based therapeutics continues to show impressive antifibrotic effects in preclinical testing and we believe that its unique natural origin provides a completely novel approach. We plan to move forward towards selection of a potential clinical candidate for IPF, while exploring the efficacy of these peptides in other fibrotic disease models.”

In co-cultures of human lung cells, CB5138-1 decreased the expression of key fibrosis biomarkers, including alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA), and collagen types I and III. CB5138-1 also decreased the transformation of healthy lung cells into fibrotic cells after induction by TGF-beta1, resulting in reduced production of the fibrotic components αSMA and pro-collagen I alpha 1. In vivo, CB5138-1 decreased lung fibrosis and inflammation in both the prophylactic mouse model of IPF, initiating treatment with the peptide immediately after fibrosis induction by bleomycin, and in the therapeutic mouse model of IPF, starting peptide treatment one week after induction. In addition, using the more exacting therapeutic model of IPF, two new analogs of CB5138 (CB5138-2 and CB5138-3) significantly reduced lung fibrosis assessed by the Ashcroft Score, reduced inflammation, and decreased fibrosis-related changes in lung weight, collagen deposition in lung tissue, and collagen secretion into lung fluid.

About IPF

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, debilitating and usually fatal interstitial lung disease that affects approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. This orphan disease results in scarring of the lungs, also known as fibrosis. While there are two approved treatments that can help slow the progression of IPF, there is currently no treatment that can stop or reverse the scarring of the lung. On average, patients diagnosed with IPF live between two and five years from diagnosis.

About CohBar

CohBar (NASDAQ: CWBR) is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the research and development of mitochondria based therapeutics, an emerging class of drugs for the treatment of chronic and age-related diseases. Mitochondria based therapeutics originate from the discovery by CohBar’s founders of a novel group of naturally occurring mitochondrial derived peptides within the mitochondrial genome that regulate metabolism and cell death, and whose biological activity declines with age. To date, the company has discovered more than 100 mitochondrial derived peptides and generated over 1,000 analogs. CohBar’s efforts focus on the development of these peptides into therapeutics that offer the potential to address a broad range of diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), obesity, fibrotic diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The company’s lead compound, CB4211, is in the Phase 1b stage of a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial for NASH and obesity. In addition, CohBar has four preclinical programs, two in cancer, one in fibrotic diseases and one in COVID-19 associated ARDS and type 2 diabetes.

For additional company information, please visit www.cohbar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements which are not historical facts within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and other future conditions. In some cases you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “expect,” “goal,” “seek,” “future,” “likely” or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions. Examples of such forward-looking statements including but not limited to anticipated outcomes of research and clinical trials for our mitochondria based therapeutic (MBT) candidates; expectations regarding the growth of MBTs as a significant future class of drug products; and statements regarding anticipated therapeutic properties and potential of our mitochondrial peptide analogs and MBTs. You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those set forth in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include: our ability to successfully advance drug discovery and development programs, including the delay or termination of ongoing clinical trials; our possible inability to mitigate the prevalence and/or persistence of the injection site reactions, receipt of unfavorable feedback from regulators regarding the safety or tolerability of CB4211 or the possibility of other developments affecting the viability of CB4211 as a clinical candidate or its commercial potential; results that are different from earlier data results including less favorable than and that may not support further clinical development; our ability to raise additional capital when necessary to continue our operations; our ability to recruit and retain key management and scientific personnel; the risk that our intellectual property may not be adequately protected; our ability to establish and maintain partnerships with corporate and industry partners; and risks related to the impact on our business of the COVID-19 pandemic or similar public health crises, including but not limited to the impact of COVID-19 on our ongoing and planned clinical trials. Additional assumptions, risks and uncertainties are described in detail in our registration statements, reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian securities regulators, which are available on our website, and at www.sec.gov or www.sedar.com.

You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and other information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and CohBar does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Nothing herein shall constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

Investor and Media Contact:
Jordyn Tarazi
Director of Investor Relations
CohBar, Inc.
(650) 445-4441
Jordyn.tarazi@cohbar.com

Joyce Allaire
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
jallaire@lifesciadvisors.com

Released August 5, 2020