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Technology Stocks : SYNSORB (T.SYB)(SYBBF) CURE FOR CANCER? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SnowShredder who wrote (105)	4/17/2000 1:07:00 PM
From: Jim Oravetz	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164

Semi_OT (PGLAF) NEW CARBOHYDRATE BASED TKS Angiogenesis Inhibitor Shown To Retard Cancer Presented At Annual Meeting of American Association for Cancer Research BRISBANE, Australia--(BW HealthWire)--April 17, 2000-- PI-88 not only stops growth factors such as VEGF and bFGR from stimulating proliferation of cells it also inhibits heparanase and is the only heparanase inhibitor currently in human trials PROGEN Industries Limited (Nasdaq: PGLAF; ASX: PGL) announced an update on its research on carbohydrate based angiogenesis inhibitors at the 91st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in San Francisco with additional pre-clinical results of its lead drug development compound, PI-88. PI-88, a new carbohydrate based angiogenesis inhibitor (AI) was shown to retard cancer growth in very aggressive rat tumour models that mimic the clinical condition. Dr. Nick Pavlakis from Sydney, Australia's Royal North Shore Hospital presented data at this year's AACR Annual Meeting. Dr. Pavlakis also reported that the antitumour activity could be made more effective by combination with standard chemotherapy treatment (cisplatinum) in these animal models. PI-88 is an inhibitor of new blood vessel growth in tumorus (angiogenesis). By preventing blood vessel development, tumours are deprived of oxygen and nutrition and are thus unable to grow. This can lead to tumour regression, as shown in Dr. Pavlakis's model. Unlike many other A1 drugs in development, PI-88 acts at several different sites to stop this process. In addition to preventing growth factors such as VEGF and bFGF from stimulating proliferation of cells lining existing blood vessels, PI-88 also inhibits heparanase, an essential enzyme for new blood vessel growth. PI-88 is the only heparanase inhibitor currently in human clinical trials. The AACR is the largest professional society of laboratory, clinical and translational cancer researchers in the world. Over 7,500 scientists from around the world attend the annual meeting, which focuses particularly on new and significant developments in cancer research. PI-88 is currently being investigated in a Phase 1 human cancer trial at two prominent cancer centers in Melbourne, Australia - the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute. The primary objective of the trial is to determine an effective and safe therapeutic dose for subsequent human. Trials. The Phase I trial is proceeding according to protocol and its duration is being largely determined by patient recruitment, which is a function of individual patient eligibility assessments. Plans for a Phase II trial of PI-88 following the current Phase I study are currently being formulated and evaluated. The Phase II study will include a larger cohort of patients and target a specific cancer type. Progen is a world leader in the design and development of unique small molecule carbohydrate pharmaceuticals to treat a variety of disease conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation. The Company's unique drug development approach utilizes drug screening and genomic methods to identify carbohydrates that are found naturally in the body as both targets and agents for disease therapies. Progen's carbohydrate drug discovery program has resulted in two lead compounds in three years, including PI-88, a heparanase inhibitor that is both an antiangiogenic and antimetastatic agent, and PI-99, an anti-coagulant. Progen continues to collaborate with Dr. Chris Parish at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, to expand the Company's carbohydrate technology platform. For over a decade, Professor Parish and his team have been conducting fundamental and ground breaking research into the function and uses of carbohydrates in cancer. Progen's objective is to develop and commercialize novel carbohydrate therapeutic technologies by leveraging its expertise in research and pharmaceutical manufacturing process development and, through alliances with Australian academic and research institutions, conduct proof of concept human clinical trials prior to selective out-licensing. siliconinvestor.com CONTACT: Progen Industries Ltd Rob Don, 011-61-7-3273-9100 ww.progen.com.au