CytRx Begins New RheothRx Study
ATLANTA, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- CytRx Corporation (Nasdaq:CYTR) today announced that it has begun a new study to evaluate
CRL-5861, the purified form of RheothRx (poloxamer 188) in sickle cell patients suffering acute vaso- occlusive crises.
``This is the first step of a comprehensive program to confirm CRL-5861 is an effective treatment for vascular complications
associated with Sickle Cell Disease,'' commented Dr. Martin Emanuele, CytRx's Vice President of Preclinical Research and
Development. This initial study is a small trial involving three centers that will enroll up to 30 patients. It is designed to select the
optimal dose that will be utilized in the pivotal vaso-occlusive crisis efficacy trial which is planned to begin by year end. ``We have an
aggressive plan which calls for three human clinical trials to begin over the next nine months,'' said Dr. Emanuele.
Initiation of these studies represents the restart of the clinical development of RheothRx. A previous phase II study in vaso-occlusive
crisis patients showed RheothRx resulted in significant reductions in crisis duration, pain intensity, need for analgesics and length of
hospitalization.
CytRx will focus the development of CRL-5861 on sickle cell disease due to its compelling medical need, lower development risk, and
excellent business opportunity. Furthermore, pending the outcome of the sickle cell trials, the company plans to initiate clinical
development of this promising new agent in a variety of vascular occlusive disorders.
CytRx Corporation's business strategy is to build shareholder value through the development and commercialization of high value
human therapeutic products and the successful development and rollout of its promising subsidiary companies. CytRx's Vaxcel
subsidiary is developing Optivax(R) to improve the effectiveness of vaccines. VetLife, Inc. markets and distributes products to
enhance food animal growth and Proceutics, Inc. provides high quality preclinical development services to the pharmaceutical
industry.
SOURCE: CytRx Corporation |
