****NEWS****
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CTIC 3 3/4 +7/16
Tuesday April 13, 4:24 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
MD Anderson Cancer Center Data Suggests 400% Improvement in Anti-Cancer Activity Over Current Marketed Form of Taxol
Scientists Report Superadditive Effects of Combining Polyglutamate-Paclitaxel (PG-TXL(tm)) cti's (Nasdaq:CTIC) Novel Paclitaxel Conjugate With Radiation Treatment
PHILADELPHIA--(BW HealthWire)--April 13, 1999-- Scientists from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center reported today that PG-TXL(tm), a potentially less toxic and more effective derivative of the world's most widely used cancer drug Taxol®, dramatically increases the sensitivity of tumor cells to the killing effects of radiation.
Preclinical findings suggest PG-TXL may be used effectively in combination with radiation therapy to expand its potential application to a broader population of cancer patients.
Each year cancer strikes 1.5 million new Americans with more than 8 million people battling the disease. According to the American College of Radiology, 50% of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy during the course of their disease. Despite its use, radiation fails to cure cancer in the majority of cases. Novel, more effective therapies that can permit safe and more effective use of radiation therapy would address a significant unmet medical need.
Previous studies have indicated that paclitaxel, the active ingredient in Taxol, has a marginal effect in sensitizing tumors to radiation and, if administered following radiation, actually induces resistance to radiation. The current study uses a novel derivative of Taxol where the active ingredient, paclitaxel is linked to a biodegradable polymer called polyglutamate. When bound to the polymer, the paclitaxel is inactive, rendering it less toxic to animals than Taxol, even when administered at doses 400% higher than the maximally tolerated dose of Taxol. When the polymer gets trapped in abnormal blood vessels present in tumor tissue, it is digested by tumor cells slowly, releasing the paclitaxel directly into the tumor.
''The increased concentration and duration of exposure of the tumors to paclitaxel is likely responsible for the enhanced interaction with radiation observed in this study,'' noted Dr. Jack Singer, Executive Vice President at Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (cti) and Head of the Company's new product evaluation board. ''The availability of an effective radiosensitizing agent may allow radiation therapy to become curative treatment for more patients with common diseases such as lung and colon cancers. If this degree of sensitization holds up in clinical studies in humans, it would represent a major advance in cancer treatment. This is very exciting data from Drs. Li, Milas and Wallace of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center,'' Dr. Singer added.
The highly efficacious water-soluble paclitaxel conjugate, PG-TXL, was developed by scientists at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. In July 1998, Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (cti) obtained a worldwide exclusive license to PG-TXL and the platform polymer technology. The Company anticipates initiating clinical trials later this year.
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTIC - news) focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule drugs that selectively regulate the metabolism of oxidized lipids and phospholipids relevant to the treatment of cancer and inflammatory and immune diseases.
This news release, and additional information of interest, is available to all investors, prospective employees and patients at cti's web site at www.cticseattle.com
This announcement includes forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially adversely affect actual future results. Specifically, the risks and uncertainties that could affect the development of cti's products under development include risks associated with preclinical and clinical developments in the biotechnology industry in general and of cti's products under development in particular (including, without limitation, the potential failure of Apra(tm), LSF(tm), PG-TXL(tm), SC-7 and related compounds to prove safe and effective for treatment of disease), determinations by regulatory, patent, and administrative governmental authorities, competitive factors, technological developments, costs of developing, producing, and selling cti's products under development, and the risk factors listed or described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, the Company's most recent registrations on Forms 10-K, 8-K, and 10-Q.
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