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Data from Three Preclinical Studies Demonstrate NPS Triggers Immunogenic Cell Death, Stimulates Anti-tumor Immune Responses and Inhibits Metastases

BURLINGAME, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 2016-- Pulse Biosciences, Inc., (NASDAQ:PLSE), a medical technology company developing a proprietary therapeutic treatment platform based on Nano-Pulse Stimulation (NPS), today announced the results of three preclinical studies that further validate the NPS technology and its potential role in novel immunotherapeutic approaches. The new data, which will be presented November 11-12^th at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Scientific Meeting, demonstrate that NPS triggered immunogenic cell death (ICD) in three separate cancer cell lines and stimulated other beneficial anti-tumor immune responses in two in vivo studies.

NPS is a non-thermal drug-free tissue treatment technology that involves the local application of a series of ultrashort electrical pulses, each lasting only hundreds of nanoseconds, directly to tissue through electrodes. In preclinical models, NPS has shown the potential to stimulate a signaling cascade within tumor cells that leads to ICD, or immunogenic apoptosis (programmed cell death). This process not only induces cell death in a natural way but also engages the immune system to clear the treated cells and enroll cytotoxic T cells to recognize and eliminate cells of the same tumor type.

“These new data add to the growing body of scientific evidence supporting the use of NPS in the treatment of multiple tumor types,” said Darrin Uecker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pulse Biosciences. “We believe the immune response observed in these recent studies further indicate that NPS may have the ability to prime the immune system and may be effective, and potentially even synergistic, when used in combination with other immuno-therapeutics, with the distinct advantage of not adding any drug related toxicity.”

The three studies presented at SITC showed that NPS treatment resulted in potentially beneficial immune cell changes in both the primary tumor and untreated secondary tumor microenvironment. Specific findings are as follows:

• In one study presented, “Nanosecond pulsed electric field treatment of tumor cell lines triggers immunogenic cell death (ICD),” NPS induced three markers of ICD in three tumor cell lines, which the authors concluded could explain why in vivo NPS treatment has shown a vaccine-like effect that inhibits secondary tumor growth after subsequent challenges with tumor cells.
• In a second presented study, “Nanosecond pulsed electric field treatment of murine melanomas initiates an immune response and inhibits metastasis,” mice were given a single melanoma tumor which was later either removed surgically or by NPS treatment. When subsequently challenged with intravenously injected melanoma cells, the NPS-treated mice exhibited fewer metastases than did the mice that had surgical removal, suggesting that the immune system had removed some of the melanoma cells from circulation in the NPS treated mice. This observation extends NPS’s vaccination effect beyond secondary tumor challenge to circulating cancer cells.
• In the third study presented, “Adaptive immune response to Nano-Pulse Stimulation,” NPS treatment of murine fibrosarcoma tumors significantly increased the infiltration of immune system cells into the treated primary tumor and 3 weeks later challenge tumors were completely rejected due to the production and increase in functionality of T cells.

About Pulse Biosciences

Pulse Biosciences is a medical technology company developing a therapeutic tissue treatment platform based on Nano-Pulse Stimulation, a proprietary bioelectronics cell signaling technology. Published pre-clinical studies have shown that a single, brief exposure of Nano-Pulse Stimulation to target tissue stimulates a cascade of events within cells and in the surrounding microenvironment that results in apoptosis (programmed cell death) and the priming of a durable adaptive immune response. Pulse Biosciences is pursuing a variety of applications for its technology that exploits the technology’s unique biologic effect in immuno-oncology, dermatology, aesthetics, and veterinary medicine. Clinical studies are being planned using the first commercial system designed to support a broad array of electrodes for use in superficial, minimally-invasive and open surgical procedures. More information is available at www.pulsebiosciences.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding or implying planned clinical trials and the anticipated benefits, and other similar statements about future events. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, changes in circumstances and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from the information expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made in this press release. Factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent reports on Forms S-1, as amended, and 10-Q, and include those listed under the caption “Risk Factors.” These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Pulse Biosciences undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this press release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available.

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Source: Pulse Biosciences

Investors:
Pulse Biosciences, Inc.
Darrin Uecker, 650-376-0042
President and Chief Executive Officer
IR@pulsebiosciences.com
or
Media:
Sam Brown, Inc.
Hannah Hurdle, 818-456-4099
hannahhurdle@sambrown.com