HAIFA, Israel, Sept. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Minovia Therapeutics Ltd. ("Minovia" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies to treat mitochondrial diseases and combat age-related decline, announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation (FTD) to the Company's lead investigational compound, MNV-201 for Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a serious age-related hematopoietic disease. This designation is in addition to the existing FDA Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations for MNV-201 in the treatment of Pearson Syndrome, an ultra-rare and life-threatening mitochondrial disorder affecting children and for which the Company is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial.

"The Fast Track Designation in MDS is further validation of the urgency and potential for our science, which targets the mitochondria, a critical multi-functional organelle. FDA designations such as the FTD help us to decrease the potential time to market and provide additional benefits across the FDA process that, we expect, will prove both medically and financially valuable," said Minovia Co-founder and CEO, Natalie Yivgi-Ohana, Ph.D.

FDA's Fast Track Designation is designed to accelerate the development and review of therapies for serious or life-threatening conditions with unmet medical need. The designation provides Minovia with the opportunity for increased FDA interactions, potential eligibility for priority review, and the opportunity for a rolling submission of a future Biologics License Application (BLA) for MNV-201.

The Company also recently announced entry into a definitive business combination agreement (the "Business Combination Agreement") with Launch One Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: LPAA, "Launch One"), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. Following the expected closing of the transaction contemplated by this Business Combination Agreement (the "Business Combination"), projected for late 2025, the combined company will operate as Minovia Therapeutics and trade on Nasdaq under a new ticker symbol.

About MDS

MDS is defined by ineffective hematopoiesis resulting in blood cytopenia, and clonal instability with a risk of evolution to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Patients with MDS collectively have a high symptom burden and are also at risk of death from complications of cytopenia and AML. The goals of therapy for patients with MDS are to improve cytopenia, reduce disease-associated symptoms and the risk of disease progression and death, thereby improving both quality of life and lifespan. The median age at diagnosis of MDS is 70 years, but surprisingly some of the Pearson Syndrome patients develop MDS in a much higher prevalence relative to the disease population. About 15% of the MDS patients will present with Sideroblastic Anemia, the most common symptom in Pearson Syndrome. Minovia developed novel blood biomarkers to measure mitochondrial health and has been able to demonstrate for the first time that MDS is presumably an age-related mitochondrial disease. As such, Minovia is currently conducting a Phase Ib study of MNV-201 in low-risk MDS patients. Six out of the nine expected patients in the study have been dosed so far.

About MNV-201

MNV-201 is a first-in-class cell therapy that uses Minovia's proprietary Mitochondrial Augmentation Technology $(MAT)$ to add healthy, energy-producing mitochondria into a patient's own stem cells -- aiming to restore organ function and improve health. In early-stage clinical studies, MAT has demonstrated a strong safety profile and signs of multi-system benefit in patients with Pearson Syndrome, including improvements in growth, muscle function, hematologic stability, and improved quality of life.

About Minovia Therapeutics

Minovia Therapeutics, chaired by John Cox, is a clinical-state biotechnology company working on treatments to replace dead or defective mitochondria with new healthy mitochondria, helping people with mitochondrial diseases and fighting aging. Minovia's main treatment, MNV-201, is already being tested for Pearson Syndrome and Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Minovia is also developing ways to help people live longer, healthier lives. Based in Haifa, Israel, where it operates a GMP facility for mitochondrial drug substance and drug product manufacturing for clinical trials related to its therapy, Minovia is planning to expand operations to the U.S. For more information, visit www.minoviatx.com.

About Launch One Acquisition Corp.

Launch One Acquisition Corp. is a company set up to merge with and take public an exciting business in healthcare or technology. Listed on Nasdaq under the ticker LPAA, Launch One is led by experienced leaders who want to support game-changing solutions. For more information, contact Jurgen van de Vyver at jurgen@launchpad.vc.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Business Combination and the Business Combination Agreement, among Launch One, Minovia and Mito US One Ltd., a newly formed Israeli company limited by shares ("Pubco"), and certain other parties named therein. Launch One and Minovia intend to file relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including a Registration Statement on Form F-4 of Pubco (the "Registration Statement"), which will include a proxy statement/prospectus of Launch One, and will file other documents regarding the proposed Business Combination with the SEC. This communication is not intended to be, and is not, a substitute for the proxy statement/prospectus or any other document that Launch One has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed Business Combination. The Registration Statement has not been filed or declared effective by the SEC. Following such filing and upon such declaration of effectiveness, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus contained within the Registration Statement and other relevant materials for the proposed Business Combination will be mailed or made available to stockholders of Launch One as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed Business Combination.

Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and stockholders of Launch One are urged to carefully read, when they become available, the entire Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus, and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, because they will contain important information about Launch One, Minovia, Pubco and the proposed Business Combination . Launch One's investors and stockholders and other interested persons will also be able to obtain copies of the Registration Statement, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, other documents filed with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference therein, and all other relevant documents filed with the SEC by Launch One and/or Pubco in connection with the Business Combination, without charge, once available, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to Launch One or Minovia at the addresses set forth below.

Participants In the Solicitation

Launch One, Minovia, Pubco and their respective directors, executive officers, other members of management and employees may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Launch One's stockholders with respect to the Business Combination. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, and interests in the Business Combination, of Launch One's directors and officers in Pubco's and Launch One's filings with the SEC, including, when filed with the SEC, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, amendments and supplements thereto, and other documents filed with the SEC. Such information with respect to Minovia's directors and executive officers will also be included in the proxy statement/prospectus. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described above under the heading "Additional Information and Where to Find It."

Non-Solicitation

This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the potential transaction and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of Launch One, Pubco, or Minovia, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about future events or Minovia's, Launch One's, or Pubco's future financial or operating performance. For example, statements regarding the development and regulatory approval of MNV-201, the implications of Fast Track Designation, RPD and PRVs and the timing of future clinical trials or potential applications are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "should," "could," "might," "plan," "possible," "project," "strive," "budget," "forecast," "expect," "intend," "will," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "potential" or "continue," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology.

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September 18, 2025 07:30 ET (11:30 GMT)