Medicenna Announces Upcoming Presentations at the ASCO Annual Meeting

Data from MDNA55 Clinical Program and IL-2 Superkine Program

TORONTO and HOUSTON, May 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. ("Medicenna" or "the Company") (TSX: MDNA, OTCQB: MDNAF), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, today announced that it will be presenting two abstracts at the American Society of Clinical Oncology ("ASCO") Virtual Scientific Program to be held from May 29 to May 31, 2020.

The first abstract has been selected for a poster discussion and will provide new data on tumor response as well as survival outcomes compared to a matched Synthetic Control Arm ("SCA"). Details of the poster discussion presentation are below:


     
     Presenter:     
            Dr. John Sampson, MD, PhD, MHSc, MBA, Robert H. and Gloria Wilkins
                       Distinguished Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery, Duke University School of
                       Medicine



     
     Title:         
            "MDNA55 survival in recurrent glioblastoma ("rGBM") patients expressing the
                       interleukin-4 receptor ("IL4R") as compared to a matched synthetic control"



     
     Abstract #:                                                                                         2513



     
     Session Title: 
            CNS Tumors



     
     Discussant:    
            Dr. Ian Parney, MD, PhD

The second abstract will present pre-clinical data including non-human primate data for MDNA11, one of Medicenna's IL2 Superkine candidates. Details of the poster presentation are below:


     
     Presenter:     
              Dr. Moutih Rafei, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and
                       Physiology, Université de Montreal



     
     Title:         
              "In vitro and in vivo characteristics of MDNA11: A long-acting 'Beta-only'
                       IL-2 Superkine in syngeneic mice tumor models and non-human primates"



     
     Abstract #:                                                                                          3036



     
     Session Title: 
              Developmental Therapeutics Immunotherapy

Presentations and posters will be available for on-demand viewing online at https://meetings.asco.org/am/virtual-program beginning on May 29, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. ET.

About Medicenna Therapeutics Corp.
Medicenna is a clinical stage immunotherapy company focused on the development of novel, highly selective versions of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 Superkines and first in class Empowered Cytokines(TM) (ECs) for the treatment of a broad range of cancers. Medicenna's lead IL4-EC, MDNA55, has completed a Phase 2b clinical trial for rGBM, the most common and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer. MDNA55 has been studied in five clinical trials involving 132 patients, including 112 adults with rGBM. MDNA55 has demonstrated compelling efficacy and has obtained Fast-Track and Orphan Drug status from the FDA and FDA/EMA respectively. Medicenna's long-acting IL2 Superkine assets, MDNA19 and MDNA11, are best-in-class next-generation IL-2's in development with superior CD122 binding without CD25 affinity and therefore preferentially stimulating cancer killing effector T cells and NK cells when compared to competing IL-2 programs. It is anticipated that MDNA19 or MDNA11 will be ready for the clinic in 2021. For more information, please visit www.medicenna.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects", "believes" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements related to Medicenna's long-acting IL2 Superkine assets being best-in-class and ready for the clinic in 2021 and the future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the risks detailed in the annual information form of the Company dated June 24, 2019 and in other filings made by the Company with the applicable securities regulators from time to time.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect and that study results could change over time as the study is continuing to follow up all patients and new data are continually being received which could materially change study results. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by Canadian securities law.

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SOURCE Medicenna Therapeutics Corp.