A stretch to call this good news, but it certainly does provide further validation that the RGEN approach is of interest.....
Thursday October 8, 10:03 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Progen's PI-88 Effectiveness Against Metastatic
Tumors in Rats and Mice Reported In Research
Paper Delivered To Metastasis Research Society Meeting Today
SAN DIEGO, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 8, 1998--Progen Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq:PGLAF - news) contract research
scientist, Dr. Robin L. Anderson, today reported at the Metastasis Research Society meeting held here, that PI-88, a novel
inhibitor of heparanase, an important enzyme in the growth and spread of tumors, inhibits tumor growth and metastasis in animal
tumor models, and either alone or in combination with other cytotoxic drugs, may provide an effective therapy for invasive and
metastatic tumors.
Anderson presented to the Metastasis Research Society the results of research conducted on behalf of Progen Industries Ltd.
at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and the John Curtin School for Medical Research,
ANU, Canbarra, Australia.
The research demonstrates the ability of PI-88 to alter primary tumor growth and/or metastatic capacity as tested using two
animal models of metastatic breast cancer. In the first model using adenocarcinoma in rats, PI-88 administered as a continuous
infusion over 14 to 28 days reduced both the primary tumor weight in the foot pad by up to 30% and the number of tumor cells
in draining lymph nodes by 50%.
With an aggressive breast carcinoma injected into the mammary gland in mice, PI-88 administered as a continuous infusion over
28 days reduced lung metastases in a dose dependent manner by up to 75% compared to the saline treated mice, although
there were minimal effects on the primary tumor growth rate in the mammary gland.
Preliminary data indicates that PI-88 may be effective against metastatic tumors expressing varying levels of heparanase activity.
PI-88 is a highly sulphated oligosaccharide that displays potent inhibition of heparanase activity and anti-angiogenic properties
in an in virtro model of angiogensis using human placental vessels.
This press release contains certain information on research conducted on behalf of Progen Industries, Ltd. There can be no
assurance that preliminary preclinical results will be predictive of final preclinical or clinical results, that preclinical animal study
results will be observed in human clinical trials, that the Company will obtain the requisite approvals from the TGA or the FDA
for its anti-cancer compound, or that any human clinical trials of such compound or any other products under development by
the Company will be successful.
Contact:
Progen Industries Limited
Alan Scott, 61-7-3375-1888
or
Six Sigma
Stephen N. Anderson, 415/776-6499 |
