INGN at AACR
>>SAN FRANCISCO, Apr 11, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: INGN) and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center announced that, in addition to its known activity as a tumor suppressor, the mda-7 gene, the therapeutic component of Introgen's INGN 241 gene therapy product candidate, can also stimulate the body's immune system to protect it against cancer. Because INGN 241 therapy may attack cancer using two different mechanisms, it may have the potential of providing an added advantage in treating various cancers. The announcement was recently made during a symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.
"These findings regarding the mda-7 gene suggest a novel paradigm for the future treatment of cancer," said Elizabeth Grimm, Ph.D., professor in the department of bioimmunotherapy and co-director of the melanoma program at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. "A tumor suppressor molecule that also stimulates and activates the immune system is unique. The ability to directly kill cancer cells by programming them to die and then stimulating the immune system is an ideal combination of attributes for an anti-cancer drug."
Dr. Grimm presented data showing that the protein produced by the mda-7 gene (also known as interleukin-24) is expressed by human immune cells and can also regulate them. The mda-7 gene, an important gene in the development of cancer, had been studied previously in the context of its activity in suppressing tumors.
"Introgen had earlier presented data from other studies that suggested that mda-7 might be able to control immune system response. Now, this collaborative effort between Introgen and M. D. Anderson to identify the functions of this important cancer gene has confirmed this," said Sunil Chada, Ph.D., Introgen's director of research and development.<<
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>>SAN FRANCISCO, Apr 11, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: INGN) presented data from two preclinical studies that demonstrate INGN 251 inhibits the growth of melanoma and colorectal cancer cells, further demonstrating the cancer-cell killing and anti-metastatic properties of the drug. Study results were recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
INGN 251 is a gene therapy product candidate that produces high levels of the PTEN protein. PTEN is critical to a normal cell's growth control mechanisms and is frequently lost in a number of cancers due to a mutation of the PTEN gene and/or other mechanisms. The mutation of just one copy of the PTEN gene is believed to be enough to interrupt normal cell signaling function and begin the process of the uncontrolled cell growth associated with cancer. Over-expression of the PTEN protein, as demonstrated in vitro by INGN 251, has been shown to selectively slow the growth of and cause increased death of numerous types of cancer cells, with minimal effects on normal cells. INGN 251 delivers PTEN via an adenoviral vector.
In the melanoma study, conducted in collaboration with The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, melanoma cells were treated in vitro with INGN 251. Treatment of cancerous cells with INGN 251 inhibited cancer cell growth and caused cell death by apoptosis. Additionally, specific molecular markers associated with uncontrolled cell growth and metastases were affected.
"This study suggests that treatment with INGN 251 can stop both the growth of melanoma and inhibit metastatic spread in vitro," said Sunil Chada, Ph.D., Introgen's director of research and development. "This dual mechanism of action by INGN 251 may have potential in managing the rapid spread of cancer cells seen in a cancer like melanoma."
The colorectal cancer study consisted of four cancer cell lines, which were treated in vitro with INGN 251, resulting in significant apoptosis and growth inhibition of the malignant cells.
"The results of this study support the continued investigation of the potential of INGN 251 in effectively treating patients with colorectal cancer, for which no sufficient non-surgical therapies exist," said Lou Zumstein, Ph.D., Introgen's director of research.
In another related study presented at the meeting, INGN 251 was shown to sensitize human tumor cell lines in vitro to ionizing radiation. Cell lines from colon, lung, and prostate tumors were treated with INGN 251, which was shown to overcome the resistance of cancer cells to programmed cell death (apoptosis). The data from this study suggest that INGN 251 is promising as an agent to make a variety of tumor types more susceptible to radiation therapy.<<
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DJ News also had a story:
>>SAN FRANCISCO -- Introgen Therapeutics Inc. (INGN), an Austin , Texas -based biotechnology firm, said a higher dose of its experimental cancer-gene-therapy Advexin helped head- and neck-cancer patients live longer compared to those who received a lower dose.
Advexin is one of several experimental gene-therapy treatments being tested by a number of companies. Gene therapy generally aims to treat disease by inserting functioning copies of genes into cells whose own genes fail to function correctly. The technique, however, remains controversial because of uncertainties related to side effects of the therapy and concerns that the genetic changes might affect patients in unpredictable ways.
Advexin uses a virus known as an adenovirus to insert a gene known as p53 into cancer cells. The p53 gene is known as a tumor-suppressor gene because it normally produces a protein that interacts with defective cellular DNA, usually leading damaged cells to commit suicide. In cancer cells, however, the p53 gene is often itself damaged.
The latest data come from two mid-stage trials of Advexin involving 166 patients with recurrent cancers of the head and neck, none of whom were eligible for surgery because of the severity of their disease. On average, patients in the high-dose group lived nearly 2 1/2 months longer than those in the low-dose group. The high-dose group received 50 times as much drug as the low-dose group, and Introgen said the higher dosing is comparable to that in an ongoing late- stage trial of the drug.
The studies don't compare patients treated with Advexin to those receiving either a placebo or conventional therapy, a standard requirement in late-stage trials.<<
INGN held its ground on a tough day.
Cheers, Tuck |
