Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Biotech / Medical : CVAS-an interesting california-based biotech company here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Miljenko Zuanic who wrote (122)	3/20/2003 4:38:47 PM
From: tuck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 126

Stumbled across this in the '03 AACR abstracts: >>Anti-tumor activity of a targeted doxorubicin pro-drug activated by urokinase plasminogen activator. Karen Lundgren, John Brekken, Noel Timple, Davina Heller, Crystal Nakamoto, Tom Nolan, Ailoan Huynh, Susanne Anderson, Scott Kemp, David Duncan, Ofir Moreno, George Vlasuk, Edwin Madison, CORVAS International, San Diego, CA. Synthetic conjugation of cytotoxic agents to recognition sequences designed for activation by membrane-associated tumor proteases is a strategy to enhance delivery of the agent to tumor cells, resulting in improved efficacy and decreased cytotoxic side effects to non-tumor tissues. Urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) is a serine protease within the chymotrypsin family that binds to the u-PA receptor found in a wide variety of human tumors. Increased u-PA activity has been associated with aggressive tumor growth and invasion and lack of u-PA has been associated with slower tumor development. A novel doxorubicin (dox) prodrug designed for activation by u-PA, CVS-10290, was synthesized by linking dox to a substrate-recognition sequence. This conjugate was efficiently cleaved to liberate dox in vitro as well as in vivo. Administration of CVS-10290 using a variety of dosing schedules, including once weekly, produced greater efficacy in several models of human prostate tumor xenografts than dox and resulted in less systemic toxicity. CVS-10290 represents a promising new class of Protease-Activated Cytotoxin Therapeutic (PACT) compounds that may offer a safer and more efficacious approach to solid tumor therapy.<< Cheers, Tuck