Tiziana Life Sciences plc, a UK based biotechnology company focused on innovative therapeutics for oncology, inflammation, and infectious diseases, announces that it has executed an agreement with Takanawa Japan KK, Pharma Team, for a strategic business development plan to identify a clinical partner in Japan and other Asian countries for further clinical development of Milciclib for treatment in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Previously, Tiziana successfully completed a Phase 2 clinical trial with orally administered Milciclib in sorafenib-resistant or intolerant HCC patients. The clinical data, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), demonstrated that the treatment was well-tolerated and produced clinical activity. Recently, a patent covering the use of Milciclib in combination with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) or other drugs was granted.

The granted claims provide complete freedom to further develop a combination of Milciclib with an approved TKI for treatment of patients with advanced HCC or other cancers.

Because the prevalence of HCC in Asian countries is large and there are no satisfactory therapeutic options for treatment of advanced HCC in Asian countries, the strategic initiative with Takanawa is particularly important to further develop Milciclib for the treatment of advanced HCC patients.