Starpharma : signs new DEP partnership with Chase Sun

Melbourne - Starpharma (ASX: SPL, OTCQX: SPHRY) today announced that it has signed a new research partnership with leading Chinese Pharmaceutical company Tianjin Chase Sun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd[1]., to develop several DEP nanoparticle formulations for an anti-infective drug.

The agreement also provides for the potential to conduct additional DEP programs, which can be across therapeutic areas beyond anti-infectives.

Under this new DEP partnership, Starpharma will initially develop DEP nanoparticle formulations for an anti-infective product for Chase Sun with the view of enhancing its performance and expanding its therapeutic utility. Chase Sun will fund all activities under this agreement and all costs associated with the further development of any DEP product. In the event that Chase Sun wishes to commercialise any of the resultant DEP products, a DEP licence agreement will be entered into with Starpharma.

Dr Jackie Fairley, Starpharma CEO, commented: 'We are delighted to sign this new DEP partnership with Chase Sun. Chase Sun are a rapidly growing and innovative company in an important global market. This agreement illustrates the broad applicability of the DEP platform and will further develop the commercial potential of DEP in the anti-infective space, a therapeutic area of growing interest and need.'

Chase Sun is a leading listed Chinese pharmaceutical company focussed on R&D and commercialisation of healthcare products and operates in one of the largest markets in the world, with more than 6,000 employees. Chase Sun's market capitalisation exceeds A$3 billion (stock code 300026) and its 2019 sales were in excess of A$1.012 billion.

About Starpharma

Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX: SPL, OTCQX:SPHRY), located in Melbourne Australia, is an ASX 300 company and is a world leader in the development of dendrimer products for pharmaceutical, life science and other applications. Starpharma's underlying technology is built around dendrimers - a type of synthetic nanoscale polymer that is highly regular in size and structure and well suited to pharmaceutical and medical uses. Starpharma has two core development programs: VivaGel portfolio and DEP drug delivery with the Company developing several products internally and others via commercial partnerships.

VivaGel

Starpharma's women's health product - VivaGel BV is based on SPL7013, astodrimer sodium, a proprietary dendrimer. VivaGel BV for bacterial vaginosis (BV), is available for sale under the brand names Betafem BV Gel (UK), Betadine BV (Europe), Betadine BV Gel (Asia) and Fleurstat BVgel (Australia and New Zealand) and a new drug application has been submitted to the US FDA. Starpharma has licensed the sales and marketing of VivaGel BV to ITF Pharma for the US; Mundipharma for Europe, Russia, CIS, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America and to Aspen Pharmacare for Australia and New Zealand. Starpharma also has licence agreements to market the VivaGel condom (an antiviral condom which includes VivaGel in the lubricant) in several regions, including Australia, Europe, Canada, China, and Japan (Okamoto). The VivaGel condom has been launched in Japan under Okamoto's 003 brand, and in Australia and Canada under the LifeStyles Dual Protect brand. The VivaGel condom is approved in Europe

DEP - Dendrimer Enhanced Product: Starpharma's DEP drug delivery platform has demonstrated reproducible preclinical benefits across multiple internal and partnered DEP programs, including improved efficacy, safety, and survival. Starpharma has three internal DEP products - DEP docetaxel, DEP cabazitaxel and DEP irinotecan - in clinical development in patients with solid tumours. Starpharma's partnered DEP programs include a multiproduct DEP licence with AstraZeneca, which involves the development and commercialisation of two novel oncology compounds, with potential to add more. In June 2019 Starpharma signed a Development and Option agreement with AstraZeneca for a DEP version of one of AstraZeneca's major marketed oncology medicines.

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Forward Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements, relating to Starpharma's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'promising', 'plans', 'anticipated', 'will', 'project', 'believe', 'forecast', 'expected', 'estimated', 'targeting', 'aiming', 'set to', 'potential', 'seeking to', 'goal', 'could provide', 'intends', 'is being developed', 'could be', 'on track', or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential filings or marketing approvals, or potential future sales of product candidates. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no assurance that any existing or future regulatory filings will satisfy the FDA's and other authorities' requirements regarding any one or more product candidates nor can there be any assurance that such product candidates will be approved by any authorities for sale in any market or that they will reach any particular level of sales. In particular, management's expectations regarding the approval and commercialization of the product candidates could be affected by, among other things, unexpected trial results, including additional analysis of existing data, and new data; unexpected regulatory actions or delays, or government regulation generally; our ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in general; government, industry, and general public pricing pressures and additional factors that involve significant risks and uncertainties about our products, product candidates, financial results and business prospects. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, or expected. Starpharma is providing this information as of the date of this document and does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events, or developments or otherwise.

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