CytRx Corporation Highlights Recent Progress at Freiburg, Germany, Laboratory and Provides Update for Oncology Pipeline

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development company specializing in oncology, today highlighted recent progress achieved by its discovery laboratory with its innovative LADR™ (Linker Activated Drug Release) Technology Platform and provided an update for its oncology pipeline.

The LADR™ platform is a discovery engine combining CytRx's expertise in linker chemistry and albumin biology to create a pipeline of anti-cancer molecules that will avoid unacceptable systemic toxicity while delivering highly potent agents directly to the tumor.  During 2017, CytRx's discovery laboratory, located in Freiburg, Germany, has synthesized and tested over 75 rationally designed drug conjugates with highly potent cytotoxic payloads, and two distinct classes of compounds have been created.  To date, four lead candidates have been selected based on in vitro and animal preclinical studies, stability, and manufacturing feasibility.  Additional animal efficacy and toxicology testing of these lead candidates is underway, and CytRx is anticipating several milestones associated with the LADR™ candidates in the upcoming months and quarters.

"Our approach has the potential to address patients with a broad range of tumor types, and our plan is to further personalize these treatments for the individual patient," commented Felix Kratz, PhD, CytRx's Vice President of Drug Discovery.  "In parallel, we plan to begin discussions with big pharma and biotech for a potential strategic alliance based on our proprietary LADR™ technology."

"We are extremely proud of the achievements made to date by Felix and his world-class drug discovery team," said Steven A. Kriegsman, CytRx's Chairman and CEO.  "CytRx researchers have created novel drug candidates and observed highly promising results in a variety of solid tumor preclinical models.  We expect to nominate one or more LADR™ candidates for clinical development by the end of the first quarter of 2018.  While we had hoped to make this announcement by the end of this year, the analysis of the individual organs from the animals in the toxicology studies will not be completed until the first quarter next year.  Additionally, we plan to begin GMP manufacturing for our LADR™ linkers this quarter because manufacturing is on the critical path to start clinical trials next year.  We are extremely eager to move these programs into clinical trials and look forward to keeping our stockholders updated on our progress."

UpcomingLADR™ milestones include:

• File one or more patent applications during the fourth quarter of 2017
• Initiate the activities for GMP manufacturing of the LADR™ linkers during the fourth quarter of 2017
• Nominate one or more drug candidates for advancement into Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies in the first quarter of 2018.
• Initiate IND enabling studies for nominated candidate(s) during the first half of 2018
• Present preclinical data for one or more LADR™ candidates at a scientific meeting during the first half of 2018
• Initiate partnership discussions for high potency LADR™ drug candidates in the first half of 2018
• Request a pre-IND meeting with the FDA during the first half of 2018 to gain agreement on the development program
• File an IND with the FDA for a first-in human clinical study with one or more LADR™ candidates during the second half of 2018

About the LADR™ Technology Platform

CytRx's innovative LADR™ (Linker Activated Drug Release) technology employs a broad portfolio of novel linker molecules that selectively bind to circulating albumin and can be linked to a wide variety of anti-cancer payloads.  The Company's research efforts currently center on creating new molecules from the combination of ultra-high potency cytotoxic payloads with tunable linkers.  The molecules that CytRx is currently evaluating concentrate at the tumor site providing targeted delivery of the chemotherapeutic payloads.

About CytRx Corporation

CytRx Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in research and clinical development of novel anti-cancer drug candidates that employ linker technologies to enhance the accumulation and release of drug at the tumor.  Aldoxorubicin, CytRx's most advanced drug conjugate, is an improved version of the widely used chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin and has been out-licensed to NantCell, Inc.  CytRx is also rapidly expanding its pipeline of ultra-high potency oncology candidates at its laboratory facilities in Freiburg, Germany, through its LADR™ (Linker Activated Drug Release) technology platform, a discovery engine designed to leverage CytRx's expertise in albumin biology and linker technology for the development of a new class of potential breakthrough anti-cancer therapies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties relating to: our ability to achieve any or all of the milestones discussed in this press release; the ability of NantCell, Inc., to obtain regulatory approval for its products that use aldoxorubicin; the ability of NantCell Inc. to manufacture and commercialize products or therapies that use aldoxorubicin; the amount, if any, of future milestone and royalty payments that we may receive from NantCell; our ability to develop new ultra-high potency drug candidates based on our LADR^TM technology platform; and other risks and uncertainties described in the most recent annual and quarterly reports filed by CytRx with the Securities and Exchange Commission and current reports filed since the date of CytRx's most recent annual report. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to CytRx on the date the statements are first published. CytRx undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contact:
Argot Partners
Michelle Carroll
(212) 600-1902
michelle@argotpartners.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cytrx-corporation-highlights-recent-progress-at-freiburg-germany-laboratory-and-provides-update-for-oncology-pipeline-300548283.html

SOURCE CytRx Corporation