-  Summary of development progress for tomivosertib and zotatifin and a preview of anticipated 2024 milestones-

-  Review of recently announced interim data from dose escalation and Phase 2 expansion cohorts of zotatifin in ER+ metastatic breast cancer patients-

-  Webinar to take place on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 4:30 pm ET-

SOLANA BEACH, Calif. and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFTR), a leader in the development of selective translation regulator inhibitors (“STRIs”) for the treatment of cancer, today announced that it will host a virtual investor R&D Day on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 4:30 pm ET.

The eFFECTOR Investor R&D Day will feature the management team and include a presentation by Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine and Director of the Glenn Family Breast Center at the Winship Cancer Institute. Topics for the webinar will include a summary of development progress for tomivosertib and zotatifin, a review of recently announced Phase 2 data of zotatifin in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer patients, potential market opportunities and competitive positioning of tomivosertib and zotatifin and a preview of expected 2024 catalysts.

Steve Worland, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of eFFECTOR said: “We are pleased with the development progress of both of our wholly-owned Phase 2 drug candidates. We look forward to reporting topline results from our Phase 2b KICKSTART clinical trial of tomivosertib combined with pembrolizumab for the treatment of frontline NSCLC in the first quarter of 2024. We recently announced positive interim data for zotatifin, highlighted by the 7.4 month mPFS in the ZFA cohort of heavily pretreated ER+ metastatic breast cancer patients and look forward to reporting additional data in the first half of 2024. We look forward to showcasing both of our tomivosertib and zotatifin programs at our Investor R&D Day and are excited to have Dr. Kalinsky share his insights.”

The presentations will be followed by a live Q&A session. To register for the R&D Day, please click here.

About eFFECTOR Therapeutics

eFFECTOR is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of a new class of oncology drugs referred to as STRIs. eFFECTOR’s STRI product candidates target the eIF4F complex and its activating kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase interacting kinase (MNK). The eIF4F complex is a central node where two of the most frequently mutated signaling pathways in cancer, the PI3K-AKT-mTOR and RAS-MEK-ERK pathways, converge to activate the translation of select mRNA into proteins that are frequent culprits in key disease-driving processes. Each of eFFECTOR’s product candidates is designed to act on a single protein that drives the expression of a network of functionally related proteins, including oncoproteins and immunosuppressive proteins in T cells, that together control tumor growth, survival and immune evasion. eFFECTOR’s lead product candidate, tomivosertib, is a MNK inhibitor currently being evaluated in KICKSTART, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b trial of tomivosertib in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Zotatifin, eFFECTOR’s inhibitor of eIF4A, is currently being evaluated in Phase 2a expansion cohorts in certain biomarker-positive solid tumors, including ER+ breast cancer and KRAS-mutant NSCLC. eFFECTOR has a global collaboration with Pfizer to develop inhibitors of a third target, eIF4E.

Forward-Looking Statements

eFFECTOR cautions you that statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and include, but are not limited to: the future clinical development and data readouts of our product candidates and the timing thereof, expected 2024 catalysts, and potential market opportunities and competitive positioning of our product candidates. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in our business, including, without limitation: potential delays in the commencement, enrollment and completion of clinical trials; our dependence on third parties in connection with product manufacturing, research and preclinical and clinical testing; the results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results; the success of our clinical trials and preclinical studies for our product candidates is uncertain; we may use our capital resources sooner than expected and they may be insufficient to allow clinical trial readouts; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate efficacy of our product candidates that may limit their development, regulatory approval and/or commercialization, or may result in recalls or product liability claims; our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our product candidates; and other risks described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

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