Friday October 5, 3:02 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Eukarion
Modex Announces Licensing Agreement With
Eukarion for a Small Molecule to Treat
Radiation-Induced Skin Damage
LAUSANNE, Switzerland & BEDFORD, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 5, 2001--
First Indication Will Target the Treatment of Breast
Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy
Modex Therapeutics Ltd (SWX New Market : MDXN) announced today that it has signed
an exclusive license with Eukarion, Inc. for worldwide rights to a small molecule for the
prevention and treatment of radiation-induced skin damage. Eukarion is a leading developer
of drugs to treat degenerative and age-related disorders.
The compound will be developed by Modex into a topical protective treatment for cancer
patients who undergo radiation therapy. Currently, no product is available to prevent or treat
the skin lesions and burns resulting from radiation therapy in cancer patients. The first
application for Modex will be for the treatment of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation
therapy. In the US approximately 180,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every
year (National Cancer Institute). Most will undergo radiation therapy, which typically involves
25 sessions over 5 weeks. Virtually all patients develop painful skin lesions during treatment
and about 20% suffer from severe burns. Substantial preclinical efficacy, safety and
toxicology studies have already been completed and Modex intends to initiate a clinical phase
I trial in 2002.
The compound belongs to a new class of molecules developed by the Bedford, Mass.-based
company Eukarion. These molecules, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) scavengers, are part
of Eukarion's patented synthetic catalytic scavenger (SCS) compounds. These compounds
mimic the activity of two enzymes -- superoxide dismutase and catalase -- that provide
natural defense mechanisms against oxidative stress in many organisms, including humans.
ROS scavengers catalytically inactivate toxic molecules (oxygen radicals and hydrogen
peroxide), turning these reactive agents into harmless oxygen and water. If not removed, the
oxygen radicals and hydrogen peroxide lead to cellular and tissue damage.
``We are very excited about adding this novel non-cell-based molecule to the Modex pipeline
of dermatology products,'' stated Jacques Essinger, chief executive officer of Modex. ``This is our second molecule in our
rapidly growing product development pipeline and it opens a new and important therapeutic indication for Modex in the field of
dermatology.''
``We are delighted to link forces with Modex,'' said Bernard Malfroy-Camine, president and CEO of Eukarion. ``We think
they are the perfect partner to move this program forward.''
About Modex -- A leader in advanced therapeutic solutions for dermatology
Modex Therapeutics Ltd is a Swiss biotechnology company founded in 1996 that focuses on the development of advanced
therapeutic solutions in the field of dermatology. Modex addresses the unmet medical needs that exist in dermatology through
its core competences in biotechnology and clinical development and through the application of advanced technologies that
range from cell-based methods to non cell-based methods. The company in-licenses promising technologies in the areas of
wound healing and skin disease, rapidly develops them to an advanced phase and generates revenues by selling its products or
out-licensing its technologies to biotechnology, pharmaceutical or medical devices companies.
Modex' first product, EpiDex(TM), is a human skin equivalent derived from the adult stem and precursor cells found in the
patient's own hair follicles (``hair to skin''). The EpiDex(TM) product has been successfully compared in a head to head clinical
trial with human autologous skin and has demonstrated, for the first time, that an artificially cultured epidermal product grown
from the hair can be superior to the transplantation of skin from a donor site of the same person. This clinical trial data provides
proof that EpiDex(TM) can be considered the premium product for the treatment of the hard to heal recalcitrant skin ulcers.
Modex is building a sustainable business that offers a complete range of innovative therapeutic solutions in dermatology through
its existing development pipeline and by growing its portfolio of superior technologies. Registered shares of Modex
Therapeutics (MDXN) are traded on the SWX New Market.
About Eukarion
Eukarion, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company located in Bedford, Mass., is developing small molecule drugs for
the treatment of degenerative and age-related disorders. The company's principal focus is on its patented synthetic catalytic
scavenger (SCS) technology for the treatment of conditions associated with oxidative stress. In addition to its SCS technology,
Eukarion is developing proprietary technology to adapt monoclonal antibodies for intracellular use.
Eukarion and its collaborators have previously published several studies demonstrating the efficacy of its SCS compounds in
animal models of neurological, cardiovascular, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Recently, Eukarion scientists and
colleagues at several research institutions published results in the journal Science which demonstrated the ability of SCS
compounds to extend the lifespan of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans by approximately 50% compared to
untreated nematodes.
Lausanne and Bedford, October 5, 2001
Contact:
Eukarion, Inc.
Janet L. Smart, Ph.D., 781/275-0424
j.smart@eukarion.com
www.eukarion.com
or
Modex Therapeutics Ltd
David Jones, +41 21 620 60 00
drjones@mdxn.ch
www.mdxn.ch
www.epidex.com |
