SUNSHINE BIOPHARMA UPGRADES COVID-19 PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION TO FULL PCT APPLICATION

May 4, 2021

For Immediate Release May 4, 2021

Montreal, Quebec, Canada – (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Sunshine Biopharma Inc. (OTC PINK:  “SBFM”), a pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and  commercialization of oncology and antiviral drugs, today announced that it has timely filed a nonprovisional patent application in the form of a PCT in the United States for its COVID-19  treatment under development. Sunshine had originally filed a provisional patent application  covering the COVID-19 treatment on May 22, 2020. This priority date has been maintained in the  newly filed PCT application. 

In addition to the original subject matter pertaining to inhibitors of the Main Coronavirus protease,  Mpro, the PCT application contains data and extends coverage to include the Papain-Like  Coronavirus protease, PLpro. The latter is an important antiviral target as it is involved in  suppression of the host immune system thereby leading to more severe illness. 

The etiologic agent of the current COVID-19 global pandemic is Severe Acute Respiratory  Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), one of several strains of Coronavirus capable of  infecting humans and causing serious illness. SARS-CoV-2 produces several functional proteins  in infected human cells by cleaving them from two overlapping viral polyproteins, pp1a and pp1ab.  One of these functional proteins is a cysteine protease referred to as the main protease, Mpro (also called 3CLpro and nsp5). In addition to Mpro, a second cysteine protease, called PLpro, is  generated. Mpro and PLpro cleave the viral polyproteins at a number of specific sites thereby  generating several mature proteins essential for viral replication. PLpro also cleaves certain host  cell proteins resulting in suppression of the immune system and elevated morbidity. Because of  their functional indispensability in viral replication, Mpro and PLpro are attractive targets for the  development of anti COVID-19 therapy. 

In collaboration with the University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy, Sunshine has been pursuing  the development of several PLpro inhibitors and currently has two drug candidates of such under  evaluation in hACE2-transgenic mice. Sunshine anticipates that the COVID-19 treatment under  development will also be effective against the variants of concern. 

“The PCT represents a major milestone for our COVID-19 treatment project, as it strengthens our  intellectual property position and allows us to file patents on a worldwide basis going forward,”  said Dr. Steve Slilaty, CEO of Sunshine Biopharma.

About Sunshine Biopharma’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Treatment 

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 3.2 million people worldwide since  it first appeared in December 2019. There are currently no drugs that can effectively arrest  replication of the virus in people who have contracted the illness. Sunshine Biopharma has  completed the synthesis of four potential inhibitors of PLpro and subsequently identified a lead  compound, SBFM-PL4. On February 1, 2021, Sunshine Biopharma entered into an exclusive  license agreement with the University of Georgia for two Anti-Coronavirus compounds which the  University of Georgia had previously developed and patented. The Company is currently  advancing the development of these two compounds in parallel with its own SBFM-PL4 by  conducting a transgenic mice study in collaboration with the University of Georgia, College of  Pharmacy. The mice being used in the study have been genetically engineered to express the  human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) transmembrane protein in their lungs making  them susceptible to lethal infection by SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses the hACE2  receptor to gain entry into human cells to replicate. The goal of the study is to determine if these  protease inhibitors will protect the hACE2-transgenic mice from disease progression and death  following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Should these mice studies prove successful, Sunshine  Biopharma plans to submit the results to the FDA for authorization to conduct testing on actual  COVID-19 patient volunteers in a Phase I clinical trial setting. 

About Adva-27a Anticancer Drug 

In addition, to working on the development of a treatment for COVID-19, Sunshine Biopharma is  engaged in the development Adva-27a, a unique anticancer compound. Tests conducted to date  have demonstrated the effectiveness of Adva-27a at destroying Multidrug Resistant Cancer Cells, including Pancreatic Cancer cells, Small-Cell Lung Cancer cells, Breast Cancer cells, and Uterine  Sarcoma cells. Clinical trials for Pancreatic Cancer indication are planned to be conducted at  McGill University’s Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada. Sunshine Biopharma is owner  of all patents and intellectual property pertaining to Adva-27a. 

Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release may contain forward looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and  assumptions that involve risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially  from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues  statements related to our financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming  quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by the Company  with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ  materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors  detailed from time to time in our filings with the SEC. Among other matters, the Company may not be able to sustain  growth or achieve profitability based upon many factors including but not limited to general stock market conditions.  Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in the Company’s most recent SEC filings. We have  incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in our expansion of our existing as well as new service lines  noting there is no assurance that we will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long  term. Additional service offerings may expose us to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s)  based upon the various geopolitical locations we will be providing services in, the impact of which cannot be predicted  at this time.

For Additional Information Contact: Camille Sebaaly, CFO 

Sunshine Biopharma Inc. 

Direct Line: 514-814-0464 

camille.sebaaly@sunshinebiopharma.com

www.sunshinebiopharma.com