[Liver-Targeted Drug Delivery Using HepDirect Prodrugs]
>>SAN DIEGO, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBRX - News), announced today that an article entitled "Liver-Targeted Drug Delivery Using HepDirect Prodrugs" was published in the February issue of The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET 312:554-560, 2005). The article presents evidence that HepDirect prodrugs represent a strategy for targeting drugs to the liver and achieving more efficacious therapies to fight chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). The publication reports on preclinical results from studies of two of Metabasis' HepDirect prodrugs, pradefovir mesylate (previously known as remofovir, or MB06866) for Hepatitis B, and MB07133 for primary liver cancer. Both drug candidates are currently being clinically tested in patients.
Dr. Mark Erion, Executive Vice President of Research and Development said, "Based on the preclinical work presented in this article together with early clinical trial results, our proprietary HepDirect technology appears to be a very useful tool for developing effective new therapies for a number of very difficult to treat diseases including many metabolic diseases that involve pathways in the liver. The studies reported on in the JPET article provide further insight into the potential effectiveness and safety of the approach. We are continuing to apply the HepDirect technology internally to develop important new products, including our collaboration with Merck where we are applying HepDirect and other technology to drug compounds provided by Merck that have the potential to treat patients with hepatitis C."
The article is currently available online from JPET's website (http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/) under the Fast Forward Articles section.
About Metabasis (www.mbasis.com):
Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel small molecule drugs principally to treat metabolic diseases linked to pathways in the liver and to treat liver diseases. The company has established a broad product pipeline targeting large markets with significant unmet medical needs. Metabasis has three internally discovered, novel product candidates in clinical development: CS-917, pradefovir mesylate (previously known as remofovir) and MB07133, indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, hepatitis B and primary liver cancer, respectively. All three products are being studied in patients and preliminary evidence of efficacy has been demonstrated with CS-917 and pradefovir mesylate. Metabasis has developed several proprietary technologies for use in discovering and optimizing drugs, including the NuMimetic(TM) technology and the HepDirect(TM) technology. The NuMimetic technology was used to discover CS-917, a first-in-class gluconeogenesis inhibitor, and was also used to identify MB07803, a 2nd generation gluconeogenesis inhibitor that is expected to enter the clinic in 2005 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The HepDirect technology, a liver-targeting prodrug technology, was used to develop pradefovir mesylate and MB07133 and is also being used in a partnership with Merck to discover new treatments for hepatitis C. Metabasis is continuing to identify and develop new product candidates using its proprietary technologies and know-how.<<
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Just noticed that MBRX is a Gensia spinoff, and what finally happened to Gensia. Munched by Teva a year ago. Hale's track record getting a little better. Wonder if he has an interest in MRBX . . .
Cheers, Tuck |
