Wednesday April 25, 2:08 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Incara's Catalytic Antioxidants Protect Healthy Tissue From Cancer
Radiation-Therapy Damage Yet Enhance Antitumor Effect of Radiation In
Preclinical Model
Data Presented Today at Two International Conferences
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 25 /PRNewswire/ --
Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq: INCR - news) announced today that the company's class of catalytic
antioxidants has demonstrated use in cancer therapy in preclinical models. Data presented at the 48th annual meeting of the
Radiation Research Society demonstrated that a catalytic antioxidant from Incara enhanced the tumor-destroying effects of
radiation yet protected healthy lung tissue against damage. Additional findings presented at the European Conference for Oral
Oncology in The Hague, Netherlands, showed that Incara's catalytic antioxidant compound protected healthy oral mucosa from
radiation induced damage. Incara's compounds are small molecule antioxidants, potently active against multiple classes of free
radicals. Like naturally occurring antioxidant enzymes, the catalytic antioxidants inactivate free radicals without themselves being
consumed in the reaction.
At the Radiation Research Society meeting, Zeljko Vujaskovic, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology,
Duke University Medical Center, reported that in animal models, Incara's compound protected normal lung tissue against
radiation-induced pulmonary injury yet enhanced the antitumor effect of radiation. Radiation-induced pulmonary injury
symptoms occur in up to 30% of patients irradiated for lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma or thymoma. Pulmonary toxicity
is a serious adverse effect of radiation therapy for thoracic tumors (cancer in the chest area) that limits patient treatment,
recovery and survival. Dr. Vujaskovic also reported that even in the absence of radiation, the compounds inhibited tumor
growth in animal models of melanoma (skin cancer) and mammary adenocarcinoma (breast cancer).
At the European Conference for Oral Oncology, Stephen T. Sonis, DMD, DMSc, Division of Oral Medicine, Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry at Brigham and Women's Hospital, reported the ability of Incara's catalytic antioxidant to
protect against radiation-induced mucositis. Severe mucositis, characterized by large, painful ulcers in the mouth, is one of the
most common limitations to current cancer therapies. Approximately 40% of cancer patients, or more than 400,000 patients in
the United States, develop mucositis.
Richard E. Gammans, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Incara stated, ``Incara's small molecule catalytic antioxidants protect
cells against damage induced by free radicals. Because radiation produces free radicals, we expected the catalytic antioxidants
to reduce damage to healthy tissues caused by radiation. However we were surprised to see that our compound enhanced the
antitumor effect of radiation and independently reduced tumor growth. This combined effect, if confirmed in ongoing
experiments, represents an exciting new application for our catalytic antioxidant platform and an important avenue for
exploration in cancer therapy.''
In 1995, Incara Pharmaceuticals established its catalytic antioxidant research and development program under its wholly owned
subsidiary, Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Irwin Fridovich, Ph.D., scientific co-founder of Aeolus, is a co-discoverer of
superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that inactivates the free radical superoxide. James D. Crapo, M.D., an Aeolus scientific co-
founder, extended Dr. Fridovich's original discovery to mammalian models of disease.
``Pharmaceutical companies need to develop new products for the stroke and cancer markets. Evidence supporting the utility
of our catalytic antioxidants in these two areas continues to grow,'' said Clayton I. Duncan, President and CEO of Incara.
``Our strategy is to seek a collaborator to provide funding for these applications and move on to clinical trials.''
Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation (www.incara.com) focuses on the protection and regeneration of tissue damaged by injury
and disease. The company currently has programs in three areas: liver stem and progenitor cell therapy as a treatment for liver
failure; catalytic antioxidants as treatment for stroke and other tissue damage; and OP2000, an ultra-low molecular weight
heparin being developed with Elan Corporation for treatment of ulcerative colitis.
The statements in this press release that are not purely statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, and actual
results might differ materially from those anticipated. These statements and other statements made elsewhere by the Company
or its representatives, which are identified or qualified by words such as ``intends,'' ``likely,'' ``will,'' ``suggests,'' ``expects,''
``might,'' ``may,'' ``believe,'' ``could,'' ``should,'' ``would,'' ``anticipates'' or ``plans,'' the negative of those terms or similar
expressions, are based on a number of assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could
cause results to differ include risks associated with uncertainties of scientific research, clinical trials, product development
activities and the need to obtain funds for operations. These and other important risks are described in Incara's reports on
Form 10- K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K and its registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date
hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.
SOURCE: Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation |
