| |
SOURCE: Immunomedics, Inc.
Broad Patent for Therapy and Diagnosis of Drug-Resistant Cancers and
Infections Awarded to Immunomedics
New Class of Drugs Specific for Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Diseases Invented
MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Immunomedics, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMMU - news) today announced the
issuance of U.S. Patent 5,677,427, covering broad claims for drugs designed to treat and diagnose chemotherapy-resistant
cancers or infections.
Drug resistance is a major obstacle to the successful treatment of many cancers and infections, such as bacteria and
parasites. One important mechanism responsible for the resistance developed by many cancers against a variety of
anti-cancer drugs, even when they have received only one of these, is related to the increased expression of certain proteins
on the membrane of the resistant cells, such as P-glycoprotein. It is generally believed that P-glycoprotein is responsible for
the cancer cells pumping out the cytotoxic cancer drugs, giving rise to multi-drug resistance, or MDR.
''By constructing targeting drugs that bind to both the multi-drug resistant (MDR) protein and also to cancer cells or
infectious agents, selective delivery of a therapeutic may be achieved. This new technology we are developing could offer
many new drug groups to circumvent this problem,'' explained the inventor and Company Chairman, David M. Goldenberg,
Sc.D., M.D.
''One of the major difficulties of treating diseases such as cancers and infections is the development of resistance to
multiple drugs,'' stated Dr. Goldenberg. ''For example, treatment of cancer with doxorubicin can induce the P-glycoprotein
which pumps the drug from the cancer cells, preventing the drug from reaching levels that kill the cancer. Unfortunately, this
protein is also able to pump many other drugs out of the cancer cells, such as drugs which have structures and mechanisms
of action different from those of doxorubicin.''
The Immunomedics process involves the use of two antibodies fused together to result in a bi-specific weapon to target the
cancer cells and the P-glycoprotein of MDR, simultaneously. Dr. Goldenberg further explained, ''By constructing specific
targeting vehicles that bind both to the protein drug- pumps and to cancer cells or infectious agents, selective delivery of a
therapeutic or diagnostic agent could be possible. These novel targeting vehicles could deliver therapeutics such as
radioisotopes, anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics, antiviral drugs, anti-parasitic drugs, anti-fungal drugs, immunomodulators
(such as IL-2 or interferon), neutron-capture elements, photoactive dyes, chemosensitizers, and enzymes for the activation
of pro-drugs.''
Another aspect of the invention is to attach diagnostic imaging agents, such as radioisotopes, fluorescent labels, photoactive
dyes, and MRI-chemicals, to the bi-specific drugs for the potential identification of tumors that express P-glycoprotein and
could thus have MDR. ''This may enable the earlier diagnosis of MDR tumors that would require other therapeutic
strategies, possibly also including our bi-specific delivery systems,'' stated Dr. Goldenberg.
''This technology,'' Dr. Goldenberg added, ''should enable us to diversify our diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, both for
cancer and certain kinds of infection, because related protein families of drug-pumps also have been characterized in
infectious organisms.''
Marvin E. Jaffe, M.D., Board member of the Company and former President, R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research
Institute, commented, ''We are very excited about this novel new technology, which will enable us to diversify our
strategies for development of new drugs to treat catastrophic diseases.''
The Company stated that because of the very broad scope of this invention, it is seeking corporate partners to develop this
technology and its diverse product opportunities.
[MORE: See biz.yahoo.com ] |
|
