INGN Had some good upticks after the news at 2PM & it reversed its earlier downward trend.<g>
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Introgen's INGN 241 Kills Chemotherapy-Resistant Cancer Cells
Tuesday April 4, 2:00 pm ET
- Data Presented at AACR Identify Novel Mechanism for Overcoming Cisplatin Resistance
WASHINGTON, April 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: INGN - News) and researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) today reported that MDA-7, the active component of INGN 241, effectively kills cancer cells that are resistant to cisplatin, one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents.
The preclinical studies also identified a novel defect in a protein degradation pathway in the cisplatin- resistant cells.
Significantly, this defect enhances the activity of INGN 241, suggesting that INGN 241 may have particular utility in treating cancers that do not respond to cisplatin.
The data are published in the Proceedings of the American Association of Cancer Research for the 97th Annual Meeting (AACR), held in Washington, D.C.
"These findings are important for the clinical development of INGN 241 and for the treatment of cisplatin-resistant cancers in general," said Sunil Chada, Ph.D., associate vice president, Clinical Research and Development, at Introgen.
"The data presented today demonstrate that INGN 241 kills ovarian and lung cancer cells that are resistant to cisplatin, suggesting that this investigational therapy may be an important treatment option for patients who develop cisplatin resistance. Additionally, we have identified a novel mechanism for overcoming cisplatin resistance.
Knowledge of this mechanism may support the development of additional interventions that overcome resistance to cisplatin and, potentially, other chemotherapeutic agents."
The studies, reported in Abstract #3744, were designed to determine if INGN 241 could effectively kill cisplatin-resistant cancer cells.
The results show that INGN 241 had potent cell killing effects in both cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant cells. Surprisingly, the anti-cancer activity of INGN 241 was more pronounced in the cisplatin resistant cells.
Additional studies were then undertaken to determine the molecular basis for this observation. Data show that cisplatin-resistant cells have a defect in a protein degradation pathway.
This defect leads to the accumulation of MDA-7 protein in the cell, resulting in enhanced INGN 241 activity an increased programmed cell death (apoptosis).
"Chemo-resistance poses a significant barrier to achieving good clinical outcomes, and leaves many cancer patients with limited treatment options," said Dr. Rajagopal Ramesh, Associate Professor, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Medicine at M. D. Anderson and principal investigator of the study.
"The results of these studies support the evaluation of INGN 241 in patients with cisplatin-resistant cancers, and open the door to a new area of oncology research and drug development."
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