Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2025) - Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA) (OTCQB: SNANF) (the "Company", "Sona") is pleased to provide updated data confirming efficacy of its Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy ("THT") cancer treatment in an immunotherapy resistant cancer. In this follow-up data to the previously released preliminary study (see press release dated December 11, 2024), again using an industry-standard, immunotherapy resistant, CT-26 colon cancer model, Sona's THT cancer treatment was 100% effective in activating a strong, effective immune system response. In these experiments, animals treated with a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, a standard of care immunotherapy, experienced no benefit with tumors growing similarly to tumors in the control group of untreated animals. However, in a new, second cohort of eight animals first treated with Sona's THT and then treated with a PD-1 inhibitor, 100% of animals responded demonstrating near complete arrest in tumor growth in the majority of animals as highlighted by the dashed green line in Figure 1, below.
Sona Nanotech CMO, Dr. Carman Giacomantonio, commented, "In this study, Sona's THT cancer treatment is clearly the difference maker in inhibiting the growth of this notoriously difficult-to-treat cancer. THT's ability to cause the expression of new antigens causes the immune system to engage, which we show permits immunotherapies to work better, making THT a powerful potential immunotherapy in its own right."
Sona Nanotech CEO, David Regan, commented, "While still an early preclinical study, we are nonetheless very excited to see the repeatability of our earlier successful preclinical colorectal study results.This data gives us additional confidence as to THT's ability to enhance the response rates of immunotherapies used in humans, which we expect to be able to assess shortly in our first-in-human early feasibility study."
Further data from this experiment can be found in the Company's updated corporate presentation, which can be accessed in the Investor Section of its website or by clicking here.
Sona's THT cancer treatment uses the Company's patented, biocompatible gold nanorods ("GNRs") to treat certain solid cancer tumors, shrinking them and stimulating the immune system, which has been shown in preclinical studies to enhance the response rates of two different immunotherapy drugs, IL-2 and PD-1.
Figure 1: Average Tumor Volume In Preclinical Colorectal Cancer Study of Sona's Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy With PD-1 (more data available in the Investor Section of Sona's corporate website)
The Company is also pleased to announce that it is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, March 26th at 11am EST to discuss the results of its colorectal cancer preclinical efficacy study and its future plans. Interested parties can register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_spqaC6AzRO-hyffa4QUquQ#/registration. A recording of the webinar will be made available following the webinar in the Investor Information section of the Company's website.
The Company also announces the engagement of Proactive Investors North America Inc ("Proactive") to provide the Company with certain marketing services to raise public awareness of the Company and enhance its profile globally.
Proactive is a multimedia news organization and events management company based in Toronto which operates financial websites providing breaking news and commentary on listed companies. Proactive reporters will provide coverage of the Company's news releases, interviews with the Company's executives and a dedicated landing page across Proactive's website network. Proactive's content will also be syndicated across social media, news aggregators and news tracking services. Proactive has not been engaged to provide investor relations services.
Sona Nanotech is developing Targeted Hyperthermia™, a photothermal cancer therapy, which uses therapeutic heat to treat solid cancer tumors. The heat is delivered to tumors by infrared light that is absorbed by Sona's gold nanorods in the tumor and re-emitted as heat. Therapeutic heat (42-48°C) stimulates the immune system, shrinks tumors, inactivates cancer stem cells, and increases tumor perfusion - thus enabling drugs to reach all tumor compartments more effectively. Targeted Hyperthermia promises to be safe, effective, minimally invasive, competitive in cost, and a valuable adjunct to drug therapy and other cancer treatments.
Sona has developed multiple proprietary methods for the manufacture of gold nanoparticles which it uses for the development of both cancer therapies and diagnostic testing platforms. Sona Nanotech's gold nanorod particles are cetyltrimethylammonium ("CTAB") free, eliminating the toxicity risks associated with the use of other gold nanorod technologies in medical applications.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the anticipated applications and potential opportunities of Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy, and Sona's preclinical and clinical study plans. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions or estimates that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the risk that Sona may not be able to successfully obtain sufficient clinical and other data to submit regulatory submissions, raise sufficient additional capital, secure patents or develop the envisioned therapy, and the risk that THT may not prove to have the benefits currently anticipated. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Sona disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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