Helix Biopharma Corp. Expands Leadership Team with World-Class Oncology and Scientific Experts

(TheNewswire)

March 6, 2025 – TheNewswire - Toronto, Ontario – Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: “HBP”,OTC PINK: “HBPCD”, FRANKFURT: “HBP0”) ( “Helix” or the “Company” ), a clinical-stage oncology company shaping a near futurewhere today’s hard-to-treat cancers are vincible, is pleased toannounce the addition of three esteemed experts in oncology and drugdevelopment to its executive team. The appointments underscoreHelix’s commitment to assembling a world-class team to push thelimits of proven science and bring life-changing therapies to patientsas soon as possible.

1. i) Thomas Mehrling, MD, PhD – Chief Medical Officer(CMO)
   Dr. Thomas Mehrling (PhD in Pharmacology and MD, University ofFrankfurt) brings 20 years of experience shaping the oncologylandscape, with previous roles at Takeda, Mundipharma Internationaland Roche. His track record includes the successful introduction ofgroundbreaking cancer drugs across Europe, with commercial successesnearing USD 1 billion in sales. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mehrlingwill lead Helix’s clinical development strategy, beginning withTumor Defence Breaker™ L-DOS47—a first-in-class, clinical-stageantibody-enzyme conjugate (AEC) to enhance the effectiveness oftoday’s immune-oncology therapies for the treatment of Non-SmallCell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

1. ii) Jonathan Davis, PhD – Director of ADC Discovery
   A leading expert in therapeuticantibodies, Dr. Davis joins Helix as Director of Antibody-DrugConjugate (ADC) Discovery. With over 15 years of experiencespearheading discovery and innovation strategies across diversetherapeutic antibody formats—including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs),multispecifics, and bi-specific ADCs (EMD Serono, Bristol-MyersSquibb, Invenra)—Dr. Davis will play a pivotal role in advancingHelix’s ADC portfolio targeting Carcinoembryonic Antigen-relatedCell Adhesion Molecule 6 (CECAM6). As of 2025, Helix is drawing on thelatest advancements in design, conjugation, and payload technology todevelop bi-specific ADCs and radionuclide drug conjugates (RDCs) forgastrointestinal, gynecological, and other solid tumors. Dr. Davis’sexpertise will be instrumental in translating these innovations intonext-generation, targeted therapies that enhance efficacy whileminimizing toxicity. Dr. Davis received his PhD from University ofCalifornia, San Francisco, and completed his post-doctoral research atHarvard Medical School.

1. iii) Davide Guggi, PhD – Chief Technology Officer(CTO)
   Bringing extensive Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC)expertise, Dr. Guggi joins Helix as Chief Technology Officer. Withover a decade of experience guiding the end-to-end development ofsmall molecules and biologics—including mAbs, ADCs, and radio-immunoconjugates—Dr. Guggi has collaborated with more than 20 globalbiotech firms to drive regulatory success from discovery through tonew drug applications (NDA) and biologics license applications (BLA)across the US, EU, and Canada. Prior to his CMC consultancy, he ledoncology business units and commercial departments at MundipharmaInternational and Gilead, and he received his PhD in PharmaceuticalTechnology and Biotechnology from the University ofVienna. Dr. Guggi’s leadership will beinstrumental in ensuring the seamless clinical development ofHelix’s compounds while optimizing their scalability for latercommercialization, positioning the Company for long-term success inbringing innovative cancer therapies to market.

“The appointments of Dr. Mehrling, Dr. Davis, and Dr.Guggi reflect Helix’s unwavering commitment to assembling aworld-class team capable of transforming oncology treatmentparadigms,” said JacekAntas, Chief Operating Officer of HelixBioPharma. “Their collective expertise will accelerate our missionto develop next-generation cancer therapies that offer meaningfulbenefits to patients facing prevalent, hard-to-treatcancers.”

“Helix’s vision for the future of oncology is bothbold and pragmatic — and it’s deeply needed,” said Thomas Mehrling, CMO .“The Company is determined to address cancer’s biggest challengeshead on, with benefit-driven innovation and a strategic approach toaccelerate development. This is a cause I wholeheartedly stand behind,and I’m committed to ensuring that innovation at Helix isn’t justambitious, but translates into better outcomes, faster, for those whoneed it most.”

Dr. Jonathan Davis, Director of ADCDiscovery said, “Antibody-drug conjugates areopening up new horizons in oncology, and Helix BioPharma’s deepexpertise in CEACAM6—a highly promising yet underutilizedtarget—provides an exciting foundation for advancing next-generationADCs. I look forward to contributing to Helix’s development of ADCsand RDCs that could redefine clinical outcomes in treating solidtumors.”

Dr. Davide Guggi, CTO , added: “By optimizing how we develop and scale ourtherapies, we can accelerate timelines, reduce risk, and ultimatelydeliver solutions that meet the urgent needs of people living withcancer. The success of any cancer therapy depends not just on itsmechanism of action but on its ability to be manufactured withconsistency and delivered with precision. At Helix, I am committed toensuring that our therapies are not only innovative but also scalable,manufacturable, and designed for long-term success.”

—ENDS—

About Helix BioPharma

Helix BioPharma Corp. is an oncology company shaping anear future where today’s hard-to-treat cancers are made vincible bynovel therapies that rise to the challenge. The Company innovates fromstrength to tackle cancer’s biggest, most urgent challenges with adiverse pipeline of drug candidates with great potential and a headstart, honed into first- and best-in-class oncology medicines. Itspipeline is spearheaded by a clinical-stage proprietary technologyplatform of bio-conjugates that score with precision against prevalentCEACAM6-expressing solid tumours. Its lead candidate, Tumour DefenceBreaker TM L-DOS47, is a clinical-stage antibody-enzyme conjugate (AEC)that neutralizes the microenvironment of common, hard-to-treat solidtumours, taking the brakes off anti-cancer immunity and delivering agame-changing assist to today’s front-running anti-cancer therapies.L-DOS47 has completed Phase Ib studies in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), with novel strategically designed bi-specific ADCs targetingCEACAM6 in discovery. Helix is listed on the TSXunder the symbol “HBP”, on OTC PINK under the symbol “HBPCD”and on FWB under the symbol “HBP0”.

For more information, pleasecontact:

Helix BioPharma Corp.

Bay Adelaide Centre - North Tower

40 Temperance Street, Suite 2

Toronto, ON M5H 0B4

Tel: 604-428-7050

Jacek Antas, Director

corporate@helixbiopharma.com

Forward-Looking Statements and Risksand Uncertainties

This news release contains certainstatements regarding Helix BioPharma Corp. that constituteforward-looking statements and information (collectively, “forwardlooking statements”) as defined by Canadian securities laws.Forward-looking statements include and are not limited to financialprojections and expectations regarding Helix’s future business andoperations, particularly related to the Company’s CEACAM6 platform,DOS47 and new asset transactions that Helix intends to close. Thesestatements use terms like “estimates,” “expects,” “will,”and similar language indicating future events, or the negative thereofor any other comparable terminology referring to future events orresults.

However, forward-looking statementsare subject to risks and uncertainties beyond Helix’s control,which may lead to actual results differing materially from thoseanticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are notlimited to, risks relating to Helix’s financial condition, including(a) lack of significant revenues to date and reliance on equity andother financing; (b) business, including its stage of development,government regulation, development success of and market acceptancefor its products, rapid technological change and dependence on keypersonnel; (c) intellectual property including the ability of Helix toprotect its intellectual property and dependence on its strategicpartners; and (d) capital structure, including its lack of dividendson its common shares, volatility of the market price of its commonshares and public company costs. Forward-looking statements reflectthe management’s current beliefs and are based on informationavailable to the management on the date of this news release, and theCompany does not assume the obligation to update any forward-lookingstatement should those beliefs change, except as required bylaw. Further information regarding these risks and uncertainties canbe found in Helix’s periodic reports and information forms on theCompany’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca .

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