SAN DIEGO, April 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CYTX) ("Cytori" or the "Company") today announced a transaction to divest certain cell therapy assets to Seijirō Shirahama of Tokyo, Japan yielding $3MM in non-dilutive funding to the Company, before related transaction expenses.

Our lead clinical stage asset, ATI-0918, is an important potential therapy for breast and ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma and Kaposi's sarcoma. Our current development program is focused in Europe where we believe there is a potential market opportunity of $120 million annually. In Q1 2019, Cytori submitted a letter of intent to file a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for ATI-0918. ATI-0918 is being developed as a generic version of Janssen's Caelyx pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. The Company continues to evaluate potential development and commercialization partnering opportunities for ATI-0918 with a focus on Europe and China. European approval and launch of ATI-0918 is projected to be in late 2020.

Our second clinical stage oncology focused asset is ATI-1123, a phase II ready, patented, albumin-stabilized pegylated liposomal docetaxel. In 2018, the Company received an orphan drug designation from the U.S. FDA for the indication of small cell lung cancer and is pursuing a 505(b)(2) new drug application (NDA) pathway in the U.S. which may offer an accelerated clinical timeline and lower development cost. The Company is exploring near term development strategies and intends to advance this program aggressively in 2019.

Cytori is developing, manufacturing, and commercializing nanoparticle-delivered oncology drugs within its Nanomedicine™ franchise. Cytori Nanomedicine™ is focused on the liposomal encapsulation of anti-neoplastic chemotherapy agents, which may enable the effective delivery of the agents to target sites while reducing systemic toxicity.  The Cytori Nanomedicine™ product pipeline consists of ATI-0918, a pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma, and Kaposi's sarcoma, a complex/hybrid generic drug, and ATI-1123 patented albumin-stabilized pegylated liposomal docetaxel for multiple solid tumors. For more information, visit www.cytori.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than historical facts, are forward looking statements. Such statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding anticipated commercial launch of our ATI-0918 drug candidate (and timing thereof); completion of manufacturing activities necessary to submit an MAA to the EMA for our ATI-0918 drug candidate; are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Some of these risks include clinical, pre-clinical and regulatory uncertainties, such as those associated with conduct and completion of the Company-sponsored RELIEF thermal burn trial, as well as the Company's anticipated submission of data to the EMA from the previously completed bioequivalency trial for ATI-0918.  We also face the risk that we will be unable to time successfully manufacture our ATI-0918 drug candidate in time to meet our projected timeline for submission of an MAA to the EMA, or at all.  Some of these risks also include risks relating to regulatory challenges the Company faces (including the U.S., EU, China, Japan and its other key geographies) due to a number of factors including novelty of the Company's technology and product offerings, changes in and /or evolution of regulatory approaches to cellular therapeutics like the Company's in its key geographies, and similar matters. It is possible that the Company could face unexpected revenue shortfalls, expense increases or other occurrences that adversely affect our cash burn and cash management strategies.  Further the Company face risks pertaining to dependence on third party performance and approvals (including the outcome of BARDA's review of the Company's proposed burn wound trial pursuant to its contract with BARDA, and outcome of the EMA's review of our ATI-0918 MAA); performance and acceptance of the Company's products in clinical studies/trials and in the marketplace; material changes in the marketplace that could adversely impact revenue projections (including changes in market perceptions of the Company's products, and introduction of competitive products); unexpected costs and expenses that could adversely impact liquidity and shorten the Company's current liquidity projections (which could in turn require the Company to seek additional debt or equity capital sooner than currently anticipated); the Company's reliance on key personnel; the Company's ability to identify and develop new programs or assets to expand the Company's clinical pipeline; the right of the U.S. government (BARDA) to cut or terminate further support of the thermal burn injury program (including any decision by BARDA not to proceed with our proposed thermal burn trial); the Company's abilities to capitalize on its internal restructuring and achieve break-even or profitability (or to continue to reduce our operating losses); and other risks and uncertainties described under the "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings, included in the Company's annual and quarterly reports.
There may be events in the future that the Company is unable to predict, or over which it has no control, and its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may change in the future. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events, trends or circumstances after the date they are made unless the Company has an obligation under U.S. Federal securities laws to do so.