SEATTLE, Jan. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atossa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATOS) ("Atossa" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, commends the U.S. Surgeon General for issuing a crucial Advisory that describes the scientific evidence for the causal link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk, particularly breast cancer in women.

The Surgeon General's Advisory reveals that alcohol consumption contributes to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and approximately 20,000 cancer deaths in the United States each year – making it the third leading preventable cause of cancer, after tobacco and obesity. Notably, breast cancer represents the largest portion of alcohol-related cancers in women, accounting for approximately 44,180 cases annually – about 16.4 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses.

"Atossa Therapeutics fully supports the Surgeon General's efforts to raise public awareness about alcohol's role in increasing breast cancer risk," said Dr. Steven Quay, M.D., Ph.D., FCAP, CEO of Atossa Therapeutics. "This Advisory aligns with our mission to prevent breast cancer before it starts. The fact that even light drinking can elevate breast cancer risk highlights the importance of education and other proactive measures to reduce alcohol-related cancers."

The Advisory emphasizes that for certain cancers, including breast cancer, the risk begins to rise with the consumption of as little as one drink per day. Despite this evidence, less than half (45 percent) of Americans surveyed believe that alcohol consumption has a significant effect on whether the average person develops cancer.

Atossa Therapeutics echoes the Advisory's call to action, supporting initiatives such as:

• Updating health warning labels on alcoholic beverages to reflect the cancer risk.
• Expanding public education efforts to increase awareness of alcohol's link to breast cancer.
• Highlight alcohol consumption as a leading modifiable cancer risk factor and incorporate proven alcohol reduction strategies into population-level cancer prevention initiatives.
  

To further educate the public, Dr. Quay – a world-renowned physician and scientist – has released a video explaining the Surgeon General's Advisory and what it may mean for Americans and the future of breast cancer. The video can be viewed here.
"Atossa is committed to advancing therapies aimed at reducing the burden of breast cancer. As such, we stand with the Surgeon General in advocating for public policies that inform and protect the health of women," Dr. Quay added.

About Atossa Therapeutics

Atossa Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines in areas of significant unmet medical need in oncology with a focus on using (Z)-endoxifen to prevent and treat breast cancer. For more information, please visit .

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains certain information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "expect," "potential," "continue," "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "design," "predict," "future," or other comparable words. All statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements regarding data related to the (Z)-endoxifen program, the safety, tolerability and efficacy of (Z)-endoxifen, the potential of (Z)-endoxifen as a breast cancer prevention and treatment agent, the expected design and enrollment of trials and timing of data and related publications, and the potential milestones and growth opportunities for the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes, or the timing of actual results or outcomes, to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including risks and uncertainties associated with: macroeconomic conditions and increasing geopolitical instability; the expected timing of releasing data; any variation between interim or preliminary and final clinical results or analysis; actions and inactions by the FDA and foreign regulatory bodies; the outcome or timing of regulatory approvals needed by Atossa, including those needed to continue our planned (Z)-endoxifen trials; our ability to satisfy regulatory requirements; our ability to remain compliant with the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market; our ability to successfully develop and commercialize new therapeutics; the success, costs and timing of our development activities, including our ability to successfully initiate or complete our clinical trials, including our (Z)-endoxifen trials; our anticipated rate of patient enrollment; our ability to contract with third-parties and their ability to perform adequately; our estimates on the size and characteristics of our potential markets; our ability to successfully defend litigation and other similar complaints and to establish and maintain intellectual property rights covering our products; whether we can successfully complete our clinical trial of oral (Z)-endoxifen in women with mammographic breast density and our trials of (Z)-endoxifen in women with breast cancer, and whether the studies will meet their objectives; our expectations as to future financial performance, expense levels and capital sources, including our ability to raise capital; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; our anticipated working capital needs and expectations around the sufficiency of our cash reserves; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Atossa's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on 10-Q. Forward-looking statements are presented as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

Contact:

Michael Parks
VP, Investor and Public Relations
484-356-7105
michael.parks@atossainc.com