Aronex Pharmaceuticals Presents Results for
Antifungal Agent NYOTRAN(TM) at American
Society for Microbiology Conference
NYOTRAN Exhibits Strong Fungicidal Profile in Resistant Strains
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Aronex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ARNX - news) today reported in vitro and clinical data for its antifungal agent, NYOTRAN(TM)
at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) conference in Atlanta, Georgia. NYOTRAN is
currently being evaluated in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of life-threatening systemic
fungal infections.
Donald R. Graham, M.D., a physician at the Springfield Clinic in Springfield, IL, presented
clinical data on the successful therapy of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with NYOTRAN in a
cardiac transplant recipient who had failed therapy with Abelcet(R). Additional data conducted in
collaboration with John H. Rex, M.D., a physician from The University of Texas-Houston
Medical School, were presented demonstrating NYOTRAN's antifungal activity against clinical
Candida isolates from human patients.
''It has been one year since we began salvage therapy using NYOTRAN on the orthotopic
cardiac transplant patient cited in the ASM presentation,'' said Dr. Graham. ''She had previously
failed to recover using two commercially available products. However, after treatment with
NYOTRAN, the patient has had no recurrence of the invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. In this
case, NYOTRAN appears to have been an effective therapy against this life- threatening fungal
infection in an immunosuppressed patient.''
In the in vitro presentation at ASM, Dr. Rex compared NYOTRAN with two currently used
antifungal agents: fluconazole and amphotericin B. Twenty- eight Candida isolates (14 C.
albicans, 5 C. lusitaniae, 4 C. tropicalis, 3 C. parapsilosis and 2 C. glabrata) were examined.
Commenting on his findings, Dr. Rex stated, ''Antifungal resistance is an increasing problem. In
this study, we found that some amphotericin B resistant isolates of Candida appeared susceptible
to NYOTRAN. While these in vitro results require confirmation in an in vivo model, they
provide yet another demonstration of the potential utility of NYOTRAN and the way in which it
may expand our fungal armamentarium.''
In commenting on the data presented, Geoffrey F. Cox, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Aronex
Pharmaceuticals, said, ''The data strongly reinforce the physician's need for NYOTRAN. We
continue to be enthusiastic about the product's ability to be effective against a wide variety of
fungi, including those resistant to current commercial products.''
Aronex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes
proprietary innovative medicines to treat cancer and infectious diseases. Aronex Pharmaceuticals
currently has four products in clinical development, two of which are in an advanced stage, as
well as a pipeline of additional products.
Any statements which are not historical facts contained in this release are forward looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those relating to
product demand, pricing, market acceptance, the effect of economic conditions, intellectual
property rights and litigation, clinical trials, governmental regulation, competitive products, risks
in product and technology development, the results of financing efforts, the ability to complete
transactions and other risks identified in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission
filings.
SOURCE: Aronex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
