Merrimack to Present at the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACK) today announced that it will present preclinical and clinical data from its oncology pipeline at the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, April 1-5, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.. Of particular focus will be data on MM-310, an antibody-directed nanotherapeutic (ADN) that entered clinical development last week with the initiation of a Phase 1 study in solid tumors.

MM-310 delivers a novel taxane and targets EphA2, a tumor marker shown to be overexpressed in several solid tumors including prostate, ovarian, gastric, pancreatic and lung cancer. MM-310 uses Merrimack's proprietary nanotherapeutics delivery platform to provide controlled biodistribution and sustained exposure of a proprietary docetaxel prodrug at the site of the tumor, potentially allowing for improved antitumor activity while lowering exposure in normal tissues and minimizing the hematologic toxicities common with docetaxel or the vascular toxicity associated with a traditional EphA2-targeted antibody drug conjugate (ADC) format. Preclinical data to be presented at the conference include the immunomodulatory effects of MM-310 in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor as well as tolerability and anti-tumor activity data on MM-310 in combination with carboplatin.

Also highlighted at the conference will be preclinical data for MM-141 (istiratumab), a monoclonal bispecific antibody that acts as a tetravalent inhibitor of IGF1-R and HER3, and MM-161, a novel first-in-class pan-FGFR antibody. Merrimack will also present data on several other targeted therapies currently or previously in development.

Poster Sessions
MM-310: A novel EphA2-targeted nanotherapeutic delivering a proprietary docetaxel prodrug

• Session Title: Immunomodulatory Agents and Therapeutics
  Immunomodulatory effects of an EphA2-targeted Docetaxel antibody-directed nanotherapeutic and synergistic combination with PD-1 inhibitor (Abstract #4711/27)
  Tuesday, April 4, 2017, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 30
                     
• Session Title: Drug Delivery Technology and Antibody Technology
  Mechanisms of synergy of carboplatin and an EphA2-targeted docetaxel antibody-directed nanotherapeutic (Abstract #3096/7)
  Tuesday, April 4, 2017, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 4

Istiratumab (MM-141):  A monoclonal antibody that acts as a tetravalent inhibitor of PI3K/AKT/mTOR

• Session Title: Oncogenic Growth Factors and Signal Transducers
  Dual-targeting of IGF-1R and ErbB3 pathways in Ewing's Sarcoma cellular models with istiratumab (MM-141), a bispecific, tetravalent monoclonal antibody (Abstract #521/7)
  Sunday, April 2, 2017, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 22

MM-151: An oligoclonal therapeutic consisting of a mixture of 3 fully human monoclonal antibodies designed to bind and inhibit signaling of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) 

• Session Title: Novel Agents
  Preclinical Update on Targeting KRAS Wild-Type Colorectal Cancer with an EGFR-Targeted Monoclonal Tri-body Mixture, MM-151 (Abstract #122/18)
  Sunday, April 2, 2017, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 5

MM-161: A novel first-in-class pan-FGFR antibody

• Session Title: Antibodies, Bispecifics, and Antibody-Drug Conjugates
  MM-161, a first-in-class pan-FGFR antibody (Abstract #22/3)
  Sunday, April 2, 2017, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 2

Preclinical Research:

• Session Title: Bioinformatics and Analysis for Therapy and Immune System
  Estimation of immune cell content in bulk tumor tissue using reference profiles from single-cell RNA-seq data (Abstract #559/20)
  Sunday, April 2, 2017, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 23

MM-398 (ONIVYDE® (irinotecan liposome injection) or "Nal-IRI"): A novel encapsulation of irinotecan in a liposomal formulation

• Session Title: Novel Drug Delivery Technology 
  Nanoliposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI, MM-398) has greater anti-tumor activity than topotecan and irinotecan in mouse models of small cell lung cancer (Abstract #5151/23)
  Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 5
                        
• Session Title: Phase I-III Clinical Trials and Pediatric Clinical Trials 
  Plasma pharmacokinetics of liposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI) in pediatric oncology patients with recurrent or refractory solid tumors: South Plains Oncology Consortium Study 2012-001 (Abstract # CT146/27)
  Tuesday, April 4, 2017, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
  Location: Section 33

About Merrimack

Merrimack is a biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that is outthinking cancer to ensure that patients and their families live fulfilling lives. Our mission is to transform cancer care through the smart design and development of targeted solutions based on the deep understanding of cancer pathways and biological markers. All of our product candidates, including three in clinical studies and several others in preclinical development, fit into our three-pronged strategy of 1) understanding the biological problems we are trying to solve, 2) designing specific solutions and 3) developing those solutions in biomarker-enriched homogenous patient populations. Through systems biology, which brings together the fields of biology, computing and engineering, Merrimack aims to decrease the uncertainty in drug development and clinical validation. Such an approach has the potential to make individualized treatment of patients a reality. For more information, please visit Merrimack's website at www.merrimack.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements include any statements about Merrimack's strategy, future operations, future financial position and future expectations and plans and prospects for Merrimack, and any other statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue," "hope" and similar expressions. In this press release, Merrimack's forward-looking statements include statements about the potential effectiveness and safety profile of MM-310 and Merrimack's ability to translate preclinical data into future clinical success. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause Merrimack's development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the initiation of future clinical trials, availability of data from ongoing clinical trials, expectations for regulatory approvals, development progress of Merrimack's companion diagnostics, availability of funding sufficient for Merrimack's foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements, and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of Merrimack's products, product candidates or companion diagnostics. Merrimack undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Merrimack's views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Merrimack's business in general, see the "Risk Factors" section of Merrimack's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 1, 2017 and other reports Merrimack files with the SEC.

Contact:
Geoffrey Grande, CFA
617-441-7602
ggrande@merrimack.com

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SOURCE Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc.