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Biotech / Medical : Pharmacyclics (PCYC) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sam Citron who wrote (682)	2/20/2002 12:09:51 PM
From: tnsaf	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 717

Sounds a bit like science-fiction to me, but... Tuesday February 19, 8:03 am Eastern Time Press Release SOURCE: Pharmacyclics, Inc. Pharmacyclics Announces Publication of Preclinical Study Results Indicating Xcytrin May Inhibit HIV SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pharmacyclics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCYC - news) today announced that preclinical study findings published in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America provide evidence that Xcytrin® (motexafin gadolinium, a.k.a., gadolinium texaphyrin or Gd-Tex), a new agent currently being evaluated by the company in clinical trials for the potential treatment of cancer, may inhibit HIV-1 replication by selectively destroying HIV infected cells. In vitro studies conducted with collaborators at Stanford University Medical Center demonstrate that Xcytrin, the first of a new class of drugs called texaphyrins, acts on HIV-infected CD4-positive T lymphocytes. According to the paper, Xcytrin inhibits HIV transcription and replication through a novel mechanism of action that selectively eliminates HIV infected cells while sparing uninfected lymphocytes. The study's authors concluded that Xcytrin may have therapeutic utility as an anti-HIV agent capable of selectively targeting and removing HIV-infected cells in an infected host. ``Xcytrin's unique mechanism of action attracted our interest and we reasoned that it might specifically attack the HIV-infected cells in a similar way as it does cancer cells,'' said Leonard Herzenberg, Ph. D., professor emeritus of genetics at Stanford University and senior author of the study. ``We are excited by our results which demonstrated that Xcytrin destroyed only the HIV-infected cells without harming the uninfected normal cells. We are eager to test the activity of this drug in AIDS patients.'' The researchers determined that low doses of Xcytrin were able to selectively destroy HIV infected CD4 positive cells by inducing apoptosis. Xcytrin did not impair healthy CD4 or CD8 T cells even when the healthy cells were present in the same culture with HIV-infected CD4 cells. ``The Stanford researchers have confirmed the novel and important mechanism of action of Xcytrin in yet another system: HIV infected cells,'' said Darren Magda, Ph.D., Pharmacyclics' senior director of research and study co-author. ``We are pleased that they have helped to discover another potential new indication for our technology and we look forward to working with them to examine the activity of Xcytrin in AIDS clinical trials.'' Andrew Zolopa, M.D. of The Stanford Positive Care Clinic (which specializes in HIV/AIDS) is coordinating with Pharmacyclics to begin clinical trials with Xcytrin in HIV patients in the next few months. Patients interested in participating may contact John Mantovani at johnjm@stanford.edu. About Xcytrin Xcytrin, the first of a new class of drugs called texaphyrins, selectively accumulates in diseased cells and disrupts cellular metabolism by a unique mechanism of action. Xcytrin reacts with and depletes intracellular reducing metabolites. Like cancer cells, HIV-infected cells are under oxidative stress and cellular reducing metabolites keep them alive and flourishing. Xcytrin appears to deplete reducing metabolites in HIV-infected cells as it has been shown to do in cancer cells, resulting in destruction of the HIV cells and inhibition of viral production. About Pharmacyclics Pharmacyclics is a pharmaceutical company developing products to improve upon current therapeutic approaches to cancer, atherosclerosis and retinal disease. The company's products are rationally designed, ring-shaped small molecules called texaphyrins that disrupt the bioenergetic processes of diseased cells, such as cancer and atherosclerotic plaque. When activated by various forms of energy, including X-ray and light, these texaphyrins can help to reduce or eliminate the diseased tissue. More information about the company, its technology, and products can be found on its web site at www.pcyc.com. NOTE: The statements made in this press release about in vitro research results and potential product development activities, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties [snip]