News Release:
StressGen Acquires License to Develop Novel Drugs to Protect Cells From
Damage
VICTORIA, B.C., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- StressGen Biotechnologies Corp.
(TSE: SSB) today announced it has licensed from the University of Miami, a
family of international patent applications broadly covering molecules, known
as heat shock transcription factors (HSF), which regulate the production of
stress proteins. Stress proteins have been shown to protect cells from damage
caused by ischemia/reperfusion (inadequate blood supply), and inflammatory
reactions -- potential complications of certain types of surgery which in
extreme situations, can cause permanent disablement or death. This agreement
provides StressGen with an additional technology platform from which to
develop therapeutic products that address this critical need in conditions
such as stroke, vascular surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass, where cells are
often damaged.
"This licensing agreement reinforces our strategy to dominate the cellular
stress response field," said Richard M. Glickman, StressGen's President and
CEO. "The agreement represents an expansion of our technology base that will
allow us to explore gene, protein and small molecule applications in the
emerging field of cellular protection."
The University of Miami patent applications cover mutated forms of HSF's
which regulate the expression of genes that encode stress proteins. Mutated
HSF's can be utilized to either up-regulate or down-regulate the production of
endogenous stress proteins to alter a cell's sensitivity to stress. The
protective effects of stress proteins have been observed in neural cells and
organs, such as the heart, liver and skin. As a result, researchers and
physicians believe that HSF therapy may be useful in conditions such as
stroke, where it is estimated that ischemic damage to the brain develops
relatively slowly, and that cytoprotective intervention at the time stroke
symptoms are first detected may provide some benefit. HSF therapy may also be
effective in those types of surgery, such as aortic surgery, where there is
the risk of ischemic damage.
Alternatively, by down-regulating or reducing the production of stress
proteins to partially or fully inhibit the protective function of cells, HSF's
may make unwanted cells, such as tumour cells, easier to kill.
Dr. Richard Voellmy of the University of Miami, discovered this utility
of mutated heat shock transcription factors, which form the basis of the
patents. Dr. Voellmy is a distinguished research scientist and US patent
lawyer. He is a member of StressGen's Scientific Advisory Board.
StressGen's intellectual property portfolio includes both granted patents
and patent applications covering stress proteins as therapeutics in cancer and
infectious diseases, as well as, gene therapy applications using stress
protein DNA.
StressGen Biotechnologies Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company
engaged in the research and development of stress proteins and stress protein
genes for use in cancer treatments and vaccines to prevent infectious disease.
The Company has two products in development, one for the treatment of cervical
cancer and the other for ovarian cancer. StressGen is also an internationally
recognized supplier of stress protein, protein trafficking and signal
transduction research reagents.
CYTOPROTECTION BACKGROUNDER
What is Cytoprotection?
Cytoprotection or protection of cells, tissue and organs from noxious
physical or chemical conditions is a growing area of scientific and medical
study. A better understanding of the cytoprotection phenomenon may allow us
to develop much needed therapies to protect cells from ischemia/reperfusion
injury (restricted or interrupted blood flow) a potential complication of
certain types of surgery which in extreme situations, causes permanent
disablement or death. Such therapies may be useful in the contexts of stroke,
cardiopulmonary bypass, skin surgery, and surgical procedures requiring the
clamping of arteries to stop blood flow. It may also be feasible to use these
therapies to mitigate tissue or organ damage caused by chemicals with toxic
side effects such as chemotherapeutic drugs.
Why is StressGen involved in Cytoprotection?
StressGen is the dominant player in the cellular stress response field.
The Company's core competencies lie in the areas of immunology and cancer.
However, we also pursue an aggressive technology acquisition program in
cellular stress response-related fields.
The cellular stress response is characterized by the accumulation of
stress proteins which have been shown to effectively protect cells from
damage. For example, when cells, tissues or organs are exposed to stressful
conditions such as ischemia/reperfusion, they express stress proteins at
increased levels. Research carried out by many different groups of
investigators has provided credible evidence that increased expression of
individual stress proteins is cytoprotective. Recent studies further show
that the interruption of this stress response results in greater than normal
damage.
Cytoprotection is a burgeoning field where there are large unmet medical
needs. Recent market studies indicate that the worldwide population of
patients suffering ischemic stroke totaled approximately 4.6 million in 1995.
There were 314,000 cardiopulmonary bypass procedures reported in the US that
same year. Surgery on the skin is a very broad term that can include
procedures such as removal of cancerous lesions, surgery after a burn, plastic
surgery or reconstruction after an accident. More than 1 million of these
types of procedures were conducted in the US in 1995.
There are several companies developing cytoprotective agents aimed at
alleviating cell damage in areas such as stroke, skin surgery and
cardiopulmonary bypass. The majority of these companies, however, are still in
the very early stages -- research and preclinical -- of product development.
None are exploiting the use of stress proteins. More important, StressGen's
approach to cytoprotection seeks to prevent rather than mitigate cellular
damage.
What role do Stress Proteins play in Cytoprotection?
Stress proteins have been shown in cell culture and animal models, to
protect cells against damage caused by a number of different challenges.
The bulk of evidence supporting the cytoprotective role of stress
proteins comes from two basic types of experiments. In the first, cells,
tissue or organs are stress-preconditioned. That is, they are exposed to a
mild heat or chemical stress sufficient to cause increased accumulation of
stress proteins. When, hours to days later, these preconditioned cells,
tissues or organs are exposed to a severe stress such as ischemia/reperfusion,
inflammatory mediators, heat or chemicals, they endure this stress with
considerably less damage than cells which were not preconditioned. This type
of experiment has shown protective effects in a variety of cell types
including neural cells, and organs such as the heart, liver and skin.
In the second type of experiment, genes encoding individual stress
proteins are introduced into cells or animals. Expression of stress proteins
from the introduced genes protect cells and organs from stress damage.
Perhaps, the most interesting result of this type of experiment is the finding
that over-expression of a particular stress protein protects the heart from
ischemia/reperfusion damage as measured by reduced infarct size.
StressGen's Cytoprotection Technology
StressGen has licensed a family of international patent applications,
broadly covering molecules, known as mutated heat shock transcription factors
(HSF), which control the production of stress proteins. The applications also
cover groups of chemical inducers of stress protein accumulation. This
technology will allow the Company to develop novel assays to look for small
molecule therapeutics which can be used to either up-regulate or down-regulate
the production of stress proteins to alter a cell's sensitivity to stress.
By up-regulating or inducing the accumulation of stress proteins, we may
be able to exploit their cytoprotective function. Alternatively, by
down-regulating or reducing the production of stress proteins to partially or
fully inhibit the protective function of cells, HSF's may make unwanted cells,
such as tumour cells, easier to kill.
SOURCE StressGen Biotechnologies Corp.
CONTACT: Michelle Lurch-Shaw of StressGen Biotechnologies,
250-744-2811 |
