Stressgen and Genzyme are partners. Stressgen's agreement with Genzyme is a good one - they split profits from any jointly developed products, which is better then a royalty agreement.
Stressgen may be a supplier of stress protiens to Antigen.
The experiments on mice referred to in the article are, I believe, the ones carried out for Gnezyme and Stressgen. The following is the 9/15/97 news release in which the experiments are described.
StressGen/Genzyme LLC's gene therapy for cancer
shown to have long-term survival benefit in early-stage
research studies
Findings presented at 3rd European Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer
Victoria, British Columbia - StressGen/Genzyme LLC announced today that new research
studies conducted at the National Heart and Lung Institute in the UK confirm the ability of the
Company's gene therapy technology to fight cancer. The studies, conducted in mouse models,
show a 90% survival rate, of more than six months, in the study group treated with stress protein
genes. In comparison, control animals receiving another foreign molecule, b-gal, survived an
average of 35 days. The untreated group survived an average of 17 days.
The new findings were presented last weekend in Berlin, Germany at the Third European
Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer by Dr. Katalin Lukacs, a co-inventor of the stress gene
therapy approach. StressGen/Genzyme LLC, the recently announced joint venture company
formed by StressGen Biotechnologies Corp., and Genzyme Molecular Oncology, a division of
Genzyme Corp. of Cambridge, Mass., licensed this technology for use in the development of
cancer therapies.
The study was performed in a model of malignant mesothelioma, a fatal tumour often seen in
patients after exposure to asbestos. The mouse model used in these experiments is very similar to
human mesothelioma. The results of Dr. Lukacs' work showed three administrations of the
liposome-complexed stress protein-65 gene (hsp65) were highly effective with 19 of 21 of the
treated population alive six months after tumour initiation. These animals continue to be monitored.
This survival data builds on earlier work by Dr. Lukacs and her team. In the April issue of Gene
Therapy they published research that showed gene therapy technology can significantly regress
tumours. They concluded that hsp65 could be an effective treatment in late stage cancer. Stress
gene therapy technology was invented by Dr. Lukacs and Dr. Jo Colston of the Medical Research
Council in the UK.
Commenting on the latest results, StressGen Biotechnologies Corp.'s President and Chief
Executive Officer, Richard M. Glickman said the study provides valuable information about the
potential of stress gene therapy.
"Dr. Lukacs' work is important as it further supports the belief that stress proteins may play an
important role in unmasking cancer cells so that the immune system can see and attack them. Dr.
Lukacs suggests hsp65 acts as a chaperone, working inside the cell to help process tumour
antigens so that they can be transported to the cell surface and seen by the immune system. The
increased presentation of tumour antigens on the cell surface is likely through MHC molecules.
We know that antigen presentation by MHC molecules is crucial to immune recognition. If we can
unmask cancer cells and make them easier for the immune system to identify, we will have a very
powerful technology."
The joint venture is using stress gene therapy to stimulate the body's immune system to fight
cancer. This technology has the potential for wide application in the treatment of various types of
cancer. Gene therapy is the introduction of a healthy or altered gene into the body to stimulate a
particular response. The joint venture combines StressGen's proprietary approach for using stress
protein genes to trigger the body's immune system to fight cancer with Genzyme's gene therapy
vectors to deliver the therapeutic genes to cancer cells. The Canadian Medical Discoveries Fund,
of London, Ontario has contributed $10 million in initial financing.
Genzyme Corp., a biotechnology and health care products company, focuses on developing
innovative products and services for major unmet medical needs. Genzyme Molecular Oncology
develops molecular approaches to cancer diagnosis and therapy through genomics, gene therapy,
genetic diagnostics, and a small-molecule combinatorial chemistry drug discovery program.
Genzyme Molecular Oncology has its own common stock, which is not yet publicly traded,
intended to reflect its value and track its performance.
StressGen Biotechnologies Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the research
and development of stress proteins and stress protein genes for use in cancer treatments and
vaccines to prevent infectious disease. The Company is also an international leader in the
development, manufacture and sale of stress protein research biochemicals. |
