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Genprex Retains Addison Whitney for Drug Nomenclature Branding

May 8, 2019 Off By BusinessWire

Genprex takes next steps toward identifying drug name for future
commercialization

AUSTIN, Texas & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Genprex,
Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX),
a clinical-stage gene therapy company, today announced that it has taken
a significant step toward commercialization of its lead drug candidate
by retaining the services of leading pharmaceutical branding agency, Addison
Whitney. Addison Whitney, a Syneos Health company, will draw from
its 28-year history to oversee the proprietary and non-proprietary drug
naming process for Genprex’s lead drug candidate, currently known as
Oncoprex™ immunogene therapy, for non-small cell lung cancer. Oncoprex
immunogene therapy has shown promise in targeting and treating non-small
cell lung cancer (NCSLC) through its proprietary technology platform,
which transports cancer-fighting genes to cancerous cells by
encapsulating the genes into nanoscale hollow spheres, called
nanovesicles, which are then administered intravenously.

Addison Whitney has a proven track record of helping pharmaceutical
companies achieve growth through brand differentiation and creative
naming practices, most recently leading well-known drugs such as Harvoni
and Letairis through the regulatory naming approval process.

“At Addison Whitney, our guiding principle is to work with companies who
are making great advances in medicine to bring solutions to those who
need them most,” said Joe Daley, Addison Whitney’s President. “We
believe Genprex is doing just that, and we couldn’t be more excited to
work with them.”

“Retaining Addison Whitney is an important step in bringing our drug
candidate to market,” said Genprex’s Chairman and CEO, Rodney Varner.
“Obtaining regulatory approval of proprietary and non-proprietary drug
names is a necessary step in securing marketing approval, and Addison
Whitney has an impressive track record in obtaining such name approvals.”

Genprex is conducting a Phase I/II clinical trial of drug candidate
Oncoprex in combination with erlotinib against non-small cell lung
cancer at a major academic cancer center in Houston, Texas. The company
is also conducting preclinical studies to evaluate Oncoprex in
combination with immunotherapies at the same cancer center.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 140,000 people die
from lung cancer in the United States each year, which is more than the
number of people who die annually from colon, breast and prostate
cancers combined. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer globally,
representing 80 percent of lung cancer diagnoses worldwide, and research
shows that the five-year survival rate for late stage NSCLC is less than
5%. Genprex is working to bridge a critical gap in lung cancer treatment
by combining its immunogene therapies with approved targeted therapies
and immunotherapies to provide treatments to large patient populations
who would not otherwise be candidates for those approved drugs, or who
receive those drugs for some period and then become resistant to them.

About Addison Whitney

Addison Whitney, a Syneos Health company, is a global leader in
pharmaceutical and healthcare brand development, creating hundreds of
strong, long-lasting brands in collaboration with established and
emerging companies. For nearly 30 years we’ve helped our clients capture
marketplace opportunities and establish sustained differentiation
through creative naming, imaginative design, comprehensive brand
strategy and insightful market research. Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., Addison Whitney has offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco,
Seattle, London, Munich and Tokyo. For more information, visit addisonwhitney.com.

About Genprex, Inc.

Genprex, Inc. is a clinical stage gene therapy company developing
potentially life-changing technologies for cancer patients, based upon a
unique proprietary technology platform, including Genprex’s initial
product candidate, Oncoprex™ immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung
cancer (NSCLC). Genprex’s platform technologies are designed to
administer cancer fighting genes by encapsulating them into nanoscale
hollow spheres called nanovesicles, which are then administered
intravenously and taken up by tumor cells where they express proteins
that are missing or found in low quantities. Oncoprex has a multimodal
mechanism of action whereby it interrupts cell signaling pathways that
cause replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes
pathways for apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancer cells, and
modulates the immune response against cancer cells. Oncoprex has also
been shown to block mechanisms that create drug resistance. Visit the
company’s web site at www.genprex.com
or follow Genprex on Twitter at twitter.com/genprex,
Facebook at facebook.com/genprexinc,
and LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/genprex.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are
not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited
to, statements regarding the effects of Oncoprex, or Oncoprex in
combination with targeted therapies or immunotherapies, on cancer. Risks
and uncertainties associated with Genprex and its lead product candidate
Oncoprex are described more fully under the caption “Risk Factors” and
elsewhere in our filings and reports with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in
this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. We
undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that
occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.