MEDTRONIC AND NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES TO COLLABORATE ON THERAPY TO TREAT MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMORS
Drug and delivery system may offer solution to deadly cancer
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, November 24, 1998 — Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) and Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: NBIX) announced today that they have entered a collaborative agreement to clinically evaluate a drug and delivery system for treating malignant brain tumors.
Each year, nearly 15,000 people are diagnosed with malignant brain tumors in the United States. There are currently no effective treatments for this form of cancer, which represents the third highest cancer death rate among people between the ages of 15 and 34.
The drug, IL4-Pseudomonas Exotoxin Fusion Protein (IL4-PE), is a combination of a blood-cell-derived growth factor and a potent substance that may destroy cancer cells. The IL-4 portion of the compound binds to the IL-4 receptors on the surface of cancer cells, thereby delivering the toxin directly into the cell.
In pre-clinical animal trials, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health research team found that various dose levels of IL-4 resulted in complete tumor remission after direct injection into the tumor. The drug was well tolerated, with no apparent signs of toxicity or death.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will collaborate to clinically evaluate the drug for direct delivery to the brain using Medtronic's SynchroMed® Infusion System. This system consists of a programmable, implantable drug pump and catheter that delivers medication directly to the site where the drug can be most effective. Current plans are for joint clinical studies to begin in the later half of 1999.
"This collaboration illustrates Medtronic's continued commitment to treating unmet medical needs in the areas of neurodegenerative disorders and pain," said John A. Meslow, president of Medtronic's Neurological business. "As the leader in drug delivery systems, Medtronic is uniquely positioned to partner with biotechnology companies like Neurocrine Biosciences to develop innovative solutions that deliver drugs directly to targeted sites in the central nervous system."
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics to treat diseases of the central nervous system and immune system, including anxiety, depression, stroke, multiple sclerosis and glioblastoma.
Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world's leading medical technology company specializing in implantable and interventional therapies. Its Internet address is www.medtronic.com.
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This news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A full discussion of the companies' operations and financial condition, including factors that may affect the companies' business and future prospects, is contained in documents the companies file with the SEC, such as form 10-Q and 10-K reports. These documents identify important factors that could cause the two companies' actual performance to differ from current expectations.
SynchroMed is a registered trademark of Medtronic, Inc. |
