Here's a thinly traded stock that should really move on this news. The company is VEGF:
139.142.147.218
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Corautus Genetics Announces Publication of Gene Therapy Approach to Vascular Disease Using Stents in Circulation
Thursday January 6, 7:30 am ET
ATLANTA, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Corautus Genetics Inc. (Nasdaq: VEGF - News) announced today the publication of preclinical results of the Company's gene transfer technology administered via drug-eluting stents. In a separate project, Corautus' technology is currently being tested in a Phase IIb trial known as GENASIS ("Genetic Angiogenic Stimulation Investigational Study"), which is enrolling up to 404 patients with Class III or IV angina in approximately 25 cardiac medical centers in the United States. In the GENASIS trial, defined doses of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-2 (VEGF-2) in the form of naked DNA plasmid, a non-viral vector, are delivered to diseased heart muscle tissue via the Boston Scientific Corporation Stiletto(TM) endocardial direct injection catheter system.
In the preclinical study reported in the journal Circulation (Vol. 110, No. 1, pp. 36-45), a team of researchers under the direction of Dr. Douglas W. Losordo, Chief of Cardiovascular Research at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, tested VEGF-2 gene transfer in an animal model of stent thrombosis. The results demonstrated for the first time that VEGF-2 could be delivered to blood vessels using drug-eluting stents and that this delivery led to accelerated growth of healthy endothelial cells while reducing pathological thickening of the artery ("neointima formation," or scarring) associated with restenosis.
In addition to his role in the preclinical research of VEGF-2, Dr. Losordo is the national principal investigator for the ongoing GENASIS trial. Dr. Losordo commented, "Local drug delivery by drug-eluting stents has already been shown to be a useful strategy for the prevention of restenosis. However, the current strategies share the liability of impairing endothelial recovery and increasing the associated risk of stent thrombosis. Our results demonstrate the possibility of therapeutic local gene transfer using a stent platform technology and that VEGF-2 gene-eluting stents may be effective in the prevention of restenosis by accelerating, rather than inhibiting, endothelial recovery."
Richard E. Otto, President and CEO of Corautus, stated, "We believe this demonstrates a growing body of evidence from preclinical and clinical studies that VEGF-2 gene transfer is a broadly enabling approach to the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The results published from this preclinical work with drug-eluting stents by Dr. Losordo and his team indicate another potential application using VEGF-2 that may benefit a large patient population. Results from early-stage clinical trials of patients with severe coronary artery disease have also been encouraging in reduction of the severely limiting symptoms of refractory angina. Based on these clinical findings, we initiated in September 2004 the largest angiogenesis trial currently ongoing in the United States."
About Corautus Genetics Inc.
Corautus Genetics Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of gene transfer therapy products for the treatment of severe cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease. Corautus is currently developing and testing a gene transfer product using the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-2 (VEGF-2) gene to promote therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic muscle. In July 2003, Corautus entered into a strategic alliance with Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX - News) to develop, commercialize and distribute the VEGF-2 gene therapy products. For more information, please visit corautus.com .
About the Technology
VEGF-2 is a growth factor that is believed to promote the development of supplemental collateral blood vessels, a process known as therapeutic angiogenesis. In the Phase IIb trial for severe cardiovascular disease, VEGF- 2 is delivered to the ischemic tissue in the heart muscle in the form of naked DNA plasmid, a non-viral vector. Once administered, the DNA plasmid appears to be taken up and expressed by myocardium near the injection site. Inside the cell, the DNA plasmid then enters the nucleus of the cell without a requirement of incorporation into the genomic DNA. The Phase IIb clinical trial expects to see the effect of the expression of DNA-encoded VEGF-2, which in turn stimulates the growth of new blood vessels by promoting the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells in the heart.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, events and performances to differ materially from those referred to in such statements. These risks include statements which address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, such as projections about our ongoing clinical trial, the potential benefit from other preclinical studies including drug-eluting stents, sufficient enrollment of suitable patients in our clinical trial, future results of operations or our financial condition, adequacy of funding, benefits from the alliance with Boston Scientific, research, development and commercialization of our product candidates, anticipated trends in our business, manufacture of sufficient and acceptable quantities of our proposed products, approval of our product candidates, meeting additional capital requirements, and other risks that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks are discussed in Corautus Genetics Inc.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in Corautus' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 filed March 30, 2004, which are incorporated by reference into this press release.
CONTACT: Investor Relations, Jack W. Callicutt of Corautus Genetics Inc., 404-526-6200, jcallicutt@corautus.com; and Media Relations, Justin Jackson of Burns McClellan, on behalf of Corautus Genetics Inc., 212-213-0006, jjackson@burnsmc.com
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