Archive for the ‘Cancer Research’ Category

Improved In Vitro Genotoxicity Testing to Reduce Animal Testing

Last Updated on Friday, 11 August 2006 02:11 Written by admin Friday, 11 August 2006 02:11

n conjunction with the University of Manchester, Gentronix has been granted a research award of Â£133,024 by the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).

One of nine awards made by NC3Rs in 2006, the funding will be used to develop a novel genotoxicity assay in a human liver cell line, designed to reduce the use of live animals in drug development.

Safety testing of new pharmaceuticals includes screening for the potential to cause cancer. The existing mammalian cell in vitro tests are highly sensitive so most carcinogens are identified, but many safe compounds are also falsely identified as potential carcinogens.

Because this can lead to needless loss of useful new drugs, live animal tests are still conducted when there is only one in vitro positive result. By using a new high specificity human cell-based genotoxicity test, the aim will be to reduce the number of compounds tested on animals.

Preliminary validation studies with a new human cell genotoxicity test have demonstrated an ability to detect all direct acting mechanistic classes of genotoxic chemicals, as well as aneugens and compounds disrupting DNA replication and repair.

Results recently reported by Gentronix and GSK in Mutation Research show the new assay to have sensitivity comparable to that of existing mammalian in vitro genotoxic assays, but uniquely combined with very high levels of specificity.

However, some compounds (promutagens) are only carcinogenic after passing through the liver, and regulations require a separate test to be performed using liver tissue extracts.

The NC3Rs research award will enable the development of the new test in a liver cell line to give a better early indication of genotoxicity while reducing animal testing. These results will be compared with those of the existing tests using liver extracts.

As well as providing a valuable new tool to confirm positive data from existing tests, the new high specificity human cell-based genotoxicity test aims to reduce the number of compounds going on to animal testing.

The use of this new test will not only reduce the number of animals used in genotoxicity testing but also reduce the considerable costs of conducting animal tests.

Further Information: http://www.gentronix.co.uk

Posted under Cancer Research, Europe, Press Releases | Comments Off

Data Presented on Anti-Cancer Compound ON 01910.Na at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Conference; ON 01910.Na active in inducing regression of pre-established intracranial tumors in a model system

Last Updated on Wednesday, 7 June 2006 06:17 Written by admin Wednesday, 7 June 2006 06:17

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 5, 2006 – Dr. Jasti Rao, an investigator at the University of Illinois, in collaboration with Onconova Therapeutics, Inc., presented data yesterday highlighting the activity of therapeutic candidate ON 01910.Na in brain cancer or glioblastoma. The data were presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting being held in Atlanta.

“ON 01910.Na’s ability to both inhibit cancer cell growth and angiogenesis provides a dual attack on the invasive nature of glioblastoma,” said Dr. Rao, Professor of Cancer Biology and Neurosurgery at the University of Illinois.

Dr. E. P. Reddy, an inventor of ON 01910.Na and a collaborator in these studies commented, “Ongoing clinical studies have validated the safety of this drug anticipated by animal pre-clinical studies. Numerous animal models, including these elegant studies will lead the way to appropriate clinical trial designs for future development of this drug.”

These results provide a new avenue for clinical development of ON 01910.Na, which currently is being tested in multiple Phase I studies at three leading cancer centers in the U.S. These clinical trials are open to advanced cancer patients and are designed primarily to identify the maximum tolerated dose, to examine the drug’s safety, and secondarily to seek preliminary evidence of anti-tumor activity by various criteria. These trials are currently not open to glioblastoma patients.

“The studies being presented today and the encouraging ongoing clinical trials of ON 01910.Na suggest multiple possible Phase II studies for this novel therapeutic agent that will permit Onconova to make appropriate informed clinical strategy decisions for further development of this program based on scientific results,” added Mr. Michael Hoffman, who was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.

The poster containing these data, “Regression of pre-established intracranial tumor growth by ON 01910.Na, a selective anticancer agent currently in Phase I trials,” (abstract # 1576) was presented in the Central Nervous System Tumors session of the ASCO meeting.

About ON 01910.Na and Onconova’s Advanced Programs

In addition to ON 01910.Na, Onconova is building a portfolio of preclinical- and development-stage programs in oncology and cytoprotection by focusing on novel pathways and targets, including inhibition of the cell cycle and signal transduction. These include non-ATP kinase inhibitors and novel small molecule compounds that are selectively active in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells while protecting normal cells.

Onconova’s most advanced product candidate is ON 01910.Na, which is currently in three Phase I trials for advanced malignancies including solid tumors and leukemia. ON 01910.Na, a benzyl styryl sulfone, was invented by Dr. E.P. Reddy and colleagues, Director of the Fels Institute of Temple University, Philadelphia and a founder of Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. This compound has demonstrated a remarkable broad spectrum of activity against a large number of tumor cells in the laboratory. As demonstrated by the extensive pre-clinical work carried out in collaboration with Dr. James F. Holland of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, ON 01910.Na can act synergistically when combined with a variety of established chemotherapeutic agents. The drug inhibits key steps in the intricate control of mitotic progression in dividing cells and appears to selectively induce cell death in cancer cells. Toxicology studies indicate the tolerability and good safety profile of this compound.

The company’s second most advanced program addresses radioprotection. ON 01210.Na (Ex-RADTM) protects normal cells and animals against harmful radiation by enhancing DNA repair pathways in the affected cells. Currently it is in the pre-IND stage and is expected to advance to clinical trials shortly. This program is being developed in collaboration with the Department of Defense and under the FDA “animal rule” where product approval may be based on human safety and animal efficacy studies.

About Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.

Onconova is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics for oncology and cytoprotection. The company’s core technology and products are derived from the work of Dr. E. P. Reddy, a molecular oncologist of world-renown. The company’s proprietary medicinal chemistry library and cell-based screening platform have yielded many promising drug candidates, including novel bcr-abl directed inhibitors that are active against all known Gleevec(R)-resistant mutations of this enzyme. This novel anti-leukemic compound is currently in the pre-clinical stage.

Founded in 1998, Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. has built a strong intellectual property position world-wide. Currently none of the company’s programs are encumbered by alliances.

For further information on Onconova Therapeutics, Inc., please visit http://www.Onconova.com.

Gleevec(R) is a registered trademark of Novartis.

Contact Investors Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. Michael Metzger, 917-838-1121 mametzger@onconova.us or Media KMorrisPR Kathryn Morris, 845-635-9828 kathryn@kmorrispr.com

Posted under Cancer Research, Medicinal Chemistry, North America, Press Releases, Targeted Libraries | Comments Off

Proteins linked to cancer prevention in humans affect aging in worms

Last Updated on Thursday, 1 June 2006 06:25 Written by admin Thursday, 1 June 2006 06:25

Discovery opens a new avenue of inquiry into aging as a risk factor for cancer

Novato, CA â€“ Proteins which prevent cancer in humans by ensuring that cells don’t divide if they have chromosomal damage have been shown to determine lifespan in the nematode worm C. elegans. A Buck Institute study, appearing in the June 2nd issue of the journal Science, shows that checkpoint proteins, traditionally thought only to be functional in cells that divide, are also active in cells that no longer divide. The fact that the proteins appear to have dual functions opens a new way to study the connection between aging and cancer.”Statistically, we know that aging is a huge risk factor for cancer,” said Buck faculty member Gordon Lithgow, PhD, lead author of the study. “We don’t know why that is. If we look at checkpoint proteins as a gear â€“ we’ve known for a long time that they drive the cancer gear, now we know that they also drive a longevity gear. This discovery has exciting potential as area of inquiry into a potential cellular link between aging and cancer.”

The research carried out in the Buck Institute’s Lithgow Laboratory, involved genetically eliminating checkpoint proteins in the microscopic worms. This caused a 15 â€“ 30% increase in their lifespan. Given the role that checkpoint proteins play in preventing the development of cancer (or in encouraging it when the proteins are defective), the findings raise the question of whether genetic variations in checkpoint proteins in humans may place some individuals at risk for cancer, but protect them against other age-associated diseases; or conversely, set a genetic course for a shorter life which would be free from cancer.

The intriguing discovery came from ongoing work in the Lithgow lab, during a screening for genes that determine stress resistance and longevity in the worm, an animal which has about 18,000 genes and does not undergo cell division once it reaches maturity. Lead researcher Anders Olsen, PhD, found an unfamiliar gene during his screening. “I typed the DNA sequence into an internet database, and up came this gene we had never heard of or ever imagined would be involved in lifespan determination,” said Olsen. The scientist identified two other survival-controlling checkpoint proteins which are also included in the study. Olsen’s work now involves identifying additional tumor suppressor genes that impact aging in both worms and human cells, as well as screening for compounds that mimic the genetic elimination of the checkpoint proteins that took place in the lab.

“We think there are many more checkpoint proteins — in worms, in complex animals, in humans,” said Olsen. “Some may be more attractive than others for developing therapies for cancer and aging. The job now is to catalogue the genes and find out which ones have these dual properties. There is lot of work to be done in many labs and by many people.”

“This work brings a new richness and sophistication to the way we think about longevity interventions,” said Dale Bredesen, MD, Buck Institute CEO and Scientific Director, who acknowledged that this area of research is in its infancy. “If we’re smart about it, we might be able to design strategies where you could keep checkpoint proteins active in dividing cells and knock them out in cells that no longer divide, such as neurons. Increasing the survival of neurons could provide a new avenue of treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.”

###Joining Lithgow and Olsen as co-authors of the paper is Maithili C. Vantipalli, also of the Buck Institute. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Ellison Medical Foundation, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, the Herbert Simon Family Medical Foundation, the Danish Research Academy, the Danish Cancer Society and the British Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

The Buck Institute is the only freestanding institute in the United States that is devoted solely to basic research on aging and age-associated disease. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to extending the healthspan, the healthy years of each individual’s life. The National Institute of Aging designated the Buck a “Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging,” one of just five centers in the country. Buck Institute scientists work in an innovative, interdisciplinary setting to understand the mechanisms of aging and to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, cancer and stroke. Collaborative research at the Institute is supported by new developments in genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics technology. For more information: www.buckinstitute.org.

Posted under Cancer Research, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off

The next generation of interferons needs improvement in efficacy and safety

Last Updated on Friday, 19 May 2006 11:18 Written by admin Friday, 19 May 2006 11:18

The interferon alpha market is smaller than the interferon beta market, but is characterized by far more products and R&D projects. Conversion of the interferon alpha market to pegylated products explains why new R&D is focused on interferon alpha variants or other subtypes with improved pharmacodynamic and safety properties.

BARCELONA, Spain | May 18, 2006 | The Business Intelligence firm La Merie S.L. reported today that market and R&D activities in the interferon field are predominantly related to interferon alpha although total interferon alpha sales of more than US$ 2.1 bln in 2005 were lower than those of interferon beta (more than 3.8 bln). The interferon alpha field is characterized by more than 25 marketed products in industrialized and off-patent countries and more than 36 ongoing corporate R&D projects as compared with only 18 products and R&D projects for interferon beta. As the conversion from first generation interferon alpha to pegylated interferon alpha nearly is completed, biogeneric activities are limited. New research is focused on finding novel subtypes or variants of interferon alpha with improved pharmacodynamic and safety properties. These results and more were found in a search conducted by La Merie Business Intelligence. The competitor analysis can be acquired at www.pipelinereview.com , La Merie â€™s News Center and Online Store.Numerous biosimilar interferon alpha products are produced and marketed for viral hepatitis in off-patent countries such as Argentina , Cuba , South Korea , China and India , but only one product was submitted for European centralized marketing authorization. Clinical stage interferon alpha projects in the Western countries are longer acting interferon alpha molecules achieved by fusion with large molecules or drug delivery systems. Interferon alpha projects approaching clinical testing are obtained by genetic engineering of the native molecule, use of other subtypes of interferon alpha, additional pegylation or combinations thereof. Several clinical studies are ongoing to evaluate the efficacy of oral low dose interferon or of intradermal delivery.

Although the interferon beta market in multiple sclerosis is the biggest and has the single best selling product among the interferons (Avonex with US$ 1.5 bln in 2005), biogeneric activities are clandestine or make use of aerosol delivery to treat viral exacerbations of asthma. Preclinical R&D activities are focused on prolonging the half-life by pegylation, drug delivery systems or genetic engineering. Interferon beta gene therapy currently is being explored in two early stage clinical trials in cancer. Non-viral delivery systems may open the way of gene therapy with interferon beta for treatment of multiple sclerosis.

About PipelineReview.com PipelineReview.com is the News Center and Online Store of La Merie Business Intelligence focused on R&D in the Biopharmaceutical Industry. Visitors of PipelineReview.com will find R&D relevant press releases and can receive selected R&D news from one or more of the siteâ€™s News Channels . For more information visit www.pipelinereview.com .

About La Merie

La Merie S.L. is a Business Intelligence enterprise fully dedicated to provide high quality R&D information to the biopharmaceutical industry. La Merie offers individual consultancy services and publishes reports and periodicals. For more information visit www.lamerie.com .

Posted under Cancer Research, Press Releases | Comments Off

New Target in the War on Cancer Ready to Download to Your Computer

Last Updated on Thursday, 13 April 2006 05:47 Written by admin Thursday, 13 April 2006 05:47

In the news release, New Target in the War on Cancer Ready to Download to Your Computer, issued earlier today by The Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the subhead, should read “‘We’re excited to have a target that anyone can download to their personal computer that will allow them to participate in the development of drugs for both tuberous sclerosis and cancer,’ says Wolfgang Hinz, head of Computational Chemistry at The Rothberg Institute.” rather than “‘It’s only fitting that a distributed computer platform allows global participation to potentially prevent a global pandemic,’ says Wolfgang Hinz, head of Computational Chemistry at The Rothberg Institute” as originally issued inadvertently.

New Target in the War on Cancer Ready to Download to Your Computer

Largest volunteer computer-based drug design project allows you to contribute to the search for drugs for Tuberous Sclerosis and other childhood diseases’It’s only fitting that a distributed computer platform allows global participation to potentially prevent a global pandemic,’ says Wolfgang Hinz, head of Computational Chemistry at The Rothberg Institute

GUILFORD, Conn., April 13 /PRNewswire/ — The Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases (TRI), a non-profit research institute devoted to discovering and developing drugs to treat childhood diseases, today announced the release of a new target that may be key to both fighting tuberous sclerosis and cancer. Tuberous sclerosis is a genetic disorder that may serve as a Rosetta stone for understanding cancer. Individuals can download free software to their personal computers that allows them to contribute to the largest search ever for drugs for childhood diseases. The CommunityTSC project is comprised of 40,000 volunteers and their computers in 93 countries working to identify new drugs to fight TSC and other childhood disorders.

The CommunityTSC project uses software developed at The Rothberg Institute. This software models potential drug targets and computationally tests the binding of drug candidates to these targets in order to identify promising potential drugs. The process is akin to searching through a collection of keys (drug candidates) to find the one that will fit a specific lock (target protein). Each user that downloads the software, gets one target at a time, and a set of 20 to 100 drug candidates. Using the idle time on their computer, the software tests one drug candidate at a time against the target, and sends back to central servers at The Rothberg Institute the drug candidate that has the best chance of working against the target. Results from the over 40,000 volunteers are then ranked, with the best candidates being selected for further evaluation. CommunityTSC’s top candidates are studied in leading academic centers working with The Rothberg Institute (TRI), including Harvard, Yale, and Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The introduction of the latest TSC target, Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb), is an exciting advance in TRI’s dedicated efforts in fighting TSC. The overexpression of Rheb has been shown to result in unusual overgrowth of various tissues, and is believed to be central to the growth processes underlying tumorgenesis. The continued identification and sharing of target proteins associated with TSC allows the CommunityTSC project to most effectively leverage the massive computer resources of its dedicated user community in finding new drug treatment options for this life-threatening disease.

Background on TSC

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder characterized by the presence of benign tumors, known as hamartomas, which occur in many tissues and organs, including the brain, eyes, kidney, heart, lungs, and skin. During the first few years, the severity of TSC can range from mild skin abnormalities to severe epilepsy, mental retardation, autism, or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. In recent years significant advances in the understanding of the underlying cause of TSC has been made. In particular, the mutable genes (TSC1 and TSC2) responsible for the condition were identified, and the role of their respective gene products (harmatin and tuberin) explored. Interestingly, the animal models first used to formulate our modern understanding of cancer (Knudson’s two hit hypothesis) were later identified as a mutation in one of the two TSC genes. The same genes that lead to TSC in children. In addition, the first description of autism was in a TSC patient. Hamartomas are lumps of disorganized, but differentiated, cells, which in the case of TSC, can but rarely progress to malignancy. Three common and life- threatening manifestations of the disease are renal angiomyolypomas (AMLs), which can lead to kidney failure; lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a growth that occurs only in women and can require a lung transplant; and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs), growths that can require brain surgery.

Background on CommunityTSC

The CommunityTSC project uses TSC-relevant proteins identified by TRI and sponsored collaborators at Harvard Medical School, Yale Medical School, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and other leading institutions as therapeutic targets for computational screening. The targets are screened against all commercially available drug-like chemical entities (an estimated 2.5 million potential therapeutics) to prioritize the compounds to be tested in the laboratory both at TRI and collaborating academic institutions worldwide. To date, six targets have been identified and are currently screened by a user-community in excess of 40,000 members, in 93 countries.

About the Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases

The Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases is a private, non-profit research institution dedicated to discovering and developing therapeutics for tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and other childhood diseases. TSC is a genetic disorder as well as a Rosetta stone for understanding cancer and causes benign tumors in the brain, eyes, heart, kidney, skin, and lungs. The Rothberg Institute operates at the intersection of molecular biology, chemistry, nanotechnology, and computer science. The Rothberg Institute collaborates with academic laboratories at Yale, Harvard, and the Fox Chase Cancer Institute through the Rothberg Award for Courage in Research. For more information on TSC and the Rothberg Courage Award see http://www.childhooddiseases.org. The Rothberg Institute is located in Guilford, CT. To help make drugs for TSC and other childhood cancers download free software at http://www.childhooddiseases.org

Posted under Cancer Research, ChemInformatics, Press Releases | Comments Off

VM Discovery and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Team on Cancer Drug Discovery; Collaboration Focuses on Compounds Against an Important Cancer Pathway

Last Updated on Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:35 Written by admin Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:35

Fremont, California (Press Release)â€” March 31, 2006â€”VM Discovery Inc. (VMD), a drug-design and discovery company, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center today announced they have entered into a collaboration to jointly pursue a cancer-drug discovery program. Under the collaboration, VMDI will use its proprietary multi-property drug design and optimization technology platform, the â€œVM OptimizerTM, to generate and optimize small-molecule â€drug-likeâ€ leads and clinical candidates, while the Hutchinson Center will leverage its expertise in cancer biology and proprietary technologies. Other terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.

â€œIt is exciting to collaborate with the distinguished scientists and professionals at the Hutchinson Center to translate their strong and unique cancer-biology knowledge to the drug-able molecules for the potential breakthrough treatment of cancers,â€ said Jay Wu, president and CEO of VM Discovery Inc. â€œHaving a successful track record with our industry clients, academic research institutes and our internal drug-discovery programs, we are confident that our proprietary technology platform will allow us to design and optimize advanced small-molecule drug candidates against an important cancer pathway ..â€œ

This is the Hutchinson Centerâ€™s first collaboration with the chemistry industry this year. â€œWe are excited about this collaboration,â€ said Spencer Lemons, vice president of Industry Relations and Technology Transfer at the Hutchinson Center. â€œBringing together our world-class research with the drug-discovery expertise of industry helps in our mission to eliminate cancer as a cause of human suffering and death.â€

About VM Discovery Inc.

VM Discovery Inc. (VMD) is a privately held, venture-backed drug discovery company located in Silicon Valley, California. The company has developed proprietary drug design and optimization technology â€œthe â€œVM OptimizerTMâ€) to discover novel, potent small-molecule drug leads with balanced ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity) properties in various therapeutic arenas. VMD has been developing a portfolio of optimized preclinical drug candidates, including new uses of old drugs, in various disease areas including cancer, diabetes and neurological diseases. In addition, VMD has been a source of optimized molecules to drug development companies for out-licensing, sale or â€œcompound partneringâ€ purposes. VMD has ongoing drug discovery collaboration with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as prominent academic/research institutes. For more information, please visit www.vmdiscovery.com.

About Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

The Hutchinson Centerâ€™s interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Center researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.

Posted under Cancer Research, Collaborations, Drug-Like Compounds, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off

Antibodies are the first wave of IGF-1R antagonists for cancer therapy

Last Updated on Monday, 6 March 2006 07:52 Written by admin Monday, 6 March 2006 07:51

BARCELONA, Spain | March 6, 2006 | The Business Intelligence firm La Merie S.L. reported today that antibodies are at the forefront of novel cancer therapeutics targeting the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R). Pfizer is leading the field with the fully human IgG2 antibody CP-751,871 under investigation for multiple myeloma and advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Five other companies are closely following with antibody projects. Only six companies are currently visible with small molecule inhibitors targeting the IGF-1R tyrosine kinase which are not always selective for IGF-1R. INSM-18 from Insmed and the University of California San Francisco is a dual inhibitor of IGF-1R and Her2/neu and is the only clinical stage IGF-1R small molecule antagonist (phase I/II in prostate cancer). These results and more were found in a search conducted by La Merie Business Intelligence published in the March 6 issue of R&D Pipeline News, edited by La Merie. The competitor analysis of CB1 antagonists can be acquired at www.pipelinereview.com, La Merieâ€™s News Center and Online Store.

Although the IGF-1 receptor was first cloned in 1986, it was the success of targeted drugs such as trastuzumab and imatinib that tyrosine kinase inhibitors and growth factor receptor blockers became hot targets. Now companies are aggressively pursuing compounds that target IGF-1R. Other reasons for the long delay in bringing compounds against IGF-1R into the clinic may be: 1) the fear that blocking Igf-1R in cancer therapy would also block the insulin receptor and signaling (70 % homology with IGF-1R) and, thus might be diabetogenic; and 2) the expression of IGF-1R in normal tissue throughout the body. Aventis selected an antibody which does not bind to the closely related insulin receptor. However, preclinical data indicate a limited spectrum of tumor cell lines against which the antibody was effective.

While antibodies are exquisitely selective inhibitors of the IGF-1R function by inducing rapid internalization and down regulation of the receptor, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors suffer from a lack of selectivity because of binding to a well conserved site. In fact, several of the IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitors in development are dual inhibitors, and in general do not lead to internalization and downregulation. Nevertheless, small molecule IGF-1R inhibitors offer the advantage of the ability to control the duration of drug exposure in contrast to long-acting antibodies.

Apart from antibodies and small molecules, there are individual approaches using peptides, proteins or antisense oligonucleotides to antagonize IGF-1R. The latter one has been evaluated as a topical cream to treat patients with psoriasis, but needs further dose optimization.

About R&D Pipeline News

R&D Pipeline News is a premier information source about research and development projects in the pipeline of the biopharmaceutical industry. The periodical is directed to all stakeholders in R&D. The weekly publication comes in a rapid- and easy-to-screen tabular format and provides access to the original information source via hyperlinks. R&D Pipeline News covers all relevant treatment modalities and is directly delivered to the desktop via e-mail. More information about the journal, a free trial and subscriptions are available via La Merieâ€™s Business Intelligence Center www.pipelinereview.com.

About PipelineReview.com

PipelineReview.com is the News Center and Online Store of La Merie Business Intelligence focused on R&D in the Biopharmaceutical Industry. Visitors of PipelineReview.com will find R&D relevant press releases and can receive selected R&D news from one or more of the siteâ€™s News Channels. A free R&D Newsletter conveniently brings via e-mail a daily selection of the most interesting news from biopharmaceutical R&D. For more information visit www.pipelinereview.com.

About La Merie

SOURCE: La Merie Business Intelligence

Posted under Cancer Research, Europe, Press Releases | Comments Off

Protected: BIT’s 4th Annual Congress of International Drug Discovery Science & Technology 2006 (IDDST-2006)

Last Updated on Monday, 10 April 2006 07:53 Written by iddst2006 Wednesday, 15 February 2006 11:14

Posted under Africa, Asia, Asia, Business and Investment, Cancer Research, Collaborations, Discoveries, Innovations and Patents, Drug-Like Compounds, Education, Europe, Events, HIV Research, Industry News, Medicinal Chemistry, New Products, News by Subject, North America, Press Releases, Reagents, South America | Comments Off

OncoTherapy Science (OTS) announced on February 1 that it has signed a joint research agreement with Carna Biosciences (CARNA) and CrystalGenomics (CG).

Last Updated on Monday, 13 February 2006 05:16 Written by admin Wednesday, 1 February 2006 04:59

Tokyo, Feb 1, 2006 (JCN) – OncoTherapy Science (OTS) announced on February 1 that it has signed a joint research agreement with Carna Biosciences (CARNA) and CrystalGenomics (CG).

The three companies will collaborate in searching low-molecular compounds that inhibit the activities of two different cancer-specific protein kinases possessed by OTS. Specifically, CARNA will be in charge of protein expression, assay formulation and screening while CG will handle virtual screening of compounds, compound library creation and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Further, using the newly-identified low-molecular compounds, the three companies will strive to develop compound candidates for cancer treatment. The partners will co-own rights to the new compounds, but OTS will be in charge of commercializing them.

Source: JCNnetwork

Posted under Asia, Cancer Research, ChemInformatics, HT Screening, Press Releases | Comments Off

Cetek Raises $10 Million to Advance Drug Discovery and Development; Company Building Proprietary Compound Pipeline in Cancer and Infectious Disease; Company Also Announces Scientific Advisory Board

Last Updated on Tuesday, 3 January 2006 07:55 Written by admin Tuesday, 3 January 2006 07:55

BIOWIRE2K

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 3, 2006–Cetek Corporation announced it has raised $10 million to advance its proprietary drug discovery platform and its emerging pipeline of compounds to treat cancer and infectious diseases. The company also announced the formation of a scientific advisory board of world leading experts in oncology, infectious disease, clinical medicine and drug discovery.

Investors participating in the financing included Argonaut Private Equity, Ventry Industries LLC, Gainesbourgh Investments, James L. Waters, and Stata Ventures. All are existing investors in Cetek.

“Cetek has made impressive progress,” commented Dr. Barry Berkowitz, President and CEO. “The financing is a vote of confidence in our technology, pipeline and business strategy. The recruitment of a prestigious advisory board underscores our evolution into a discovery and development organization as well as the potential of our approach.

“Our strategy is two-fold,” Dr. Berkowitz added, “to leverage our drug discovery technologies through service agreements and collaborations, and to commercialize our compounds through strategic alliances.” Cetek is well positioned in the current environment, with pharmaceutical and major biotechnology companies increasingly turning to novel, time and cost efficient approaches to drug discovery and to innovative earlier stage compounds to strengthen their pipelines.”

Cetek pursues an integrated approach to drug discovery based upon its proprietary, high throughput capillary electrophoresis (CE Assay) screening technology and novel chemical biology-focused drug source. The CE Assay provides a number of distinct strengths that are particularly useful for drug discovery today. Many of proteomic and genomic targets, such as protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, and orphan drug targets that have been desirable but challenging for conventional high throughput screening technologies, are now efficiently accessible with the CE Assay. Cetek’s proprietary CE Assays are integrated with drug sources, including its proprietary natural product libraries, enabling access to a wide range of chemical diversity for drug discovery.

Scientific Advisory Board

The Chairman of the Cetek Scientific Advisory board is Barry L. Karger, Ph.D., James L. Waters Chair in Analytical Chemistry and Biological Analysis at Northeastern University, and a Cetek founder. The other members of the board include:

– K. Frank Austen, M.D., AstraZeneca Professor of Respiratory and Inflammatory Disease at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital;

– James D. Griffin, M.D., Chairman, Dept. of Medical Oncology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School;

– Charles L. Cooney, Ph.D., Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at MIT; Co-Director of the MIT Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, and Co-Director of the MIT Program on the Pharmaceutical Industry;

– Martin S. Hirsch, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Immunology and Infectious Disease at Harvard School of Public Health; Infectious Disease Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

About Cetek

Cetek is a discovery and development stage pharmaceutical company built on proven, innovative technologies. Cetek is a leader in drug screening with a core technology based on a proprietary capillary electrophoresis screening (CE Assay) technology. The CE Assay technology provides unique advantages in drug discovery by enabling access to many target classes, including protein-protein targets, protein-nucleic acid targets, and targets of unknown function (orphans). With its CE Assay, drug sourcing and related discovery technologies, Cetek integrates chemistry, biology and engineering into an industrialized high throughput drug discovery operation. The company has successfully applied its technologies for collaborations with numerous other companies and internal drug discovery, with lead programs in cancer and virology. For more information, visit www.cetek.com.

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Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Announces Achievement of Target Enrollment in Satraplatin Phase 3 Registrational Trial (SPARC) for Second-Line Chemotherapy of Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer

Last Updated on Thursday, 8 December 2005 05:28 Written by admin Monday, 5 December 2005 05:23

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPPI) today announced the achievement of target enrollment in the Phase 3 registrational trial of its lead drug candidate satraplatin, the only orally bioavailable platinum-based compound in advanced clinical development. The SPARC trial (Satraplatin and Prednisone Against Refractory Cancer) managed by the Company’s co-development partner, GPC Biotech AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: GPC; Nasdaq: GPCB), is a multicenter, multinational, double blind, randomized study that is assessing the safety and efficacy of satraplatin in combination with prednisone as a second-line chemotherapy in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). More than 200 clinical sites in fifteen countries on four continents have now achieved the goal of accruing 912 patients to the SPARC trial. A number of additional patients are in screening, and GPC Biotech will allow those patients to complete the process and either be randomized into the trial or disqualified, in accordance with the trial protocol.

“We are excited to have achieved this major milestone in the development of satraplatin,” stated Rajesh C. Shrotriya, M.D., Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. “The rapid accrual rate of the SPARC trial supports the need for effective second-line chemotherapy treatments for hormone- refractory prostate cancer patients. Working in conjunction with our partner, GPC Biotech, we are committed to completing this study and moving forward in the registration process as expeditiously as possible.

“That we could achieve our accrual goal of 912 patients in just over 26 months, making the SPARC trial one of the fastest accrued Phase 3 clinical trials for chemotherapy drugs in prostate cancer, is a direct testament to the dedication and hard work of the clinical investigators, the study site personnel and the drug development team at GPC Biotech,” continued Shrotriya. “The joint development team, made up of representatives from Spectrum and GPC Biotech, has been looking forward to this day and are pleased to be one step closer towards bringing this important drug to marketing approval and helping patients with this terrible disease.”

About Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. and Europe. Approximately 232,000 men in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with the disease in 2005. With over 30,000 U.S. deaths estimated for 2005, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men — second only to lung cancer. In the European Union, 138,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed, and 45,000 patients to die within the same time period. Since the incidence of prostate cancer increases with age, the aging of the overall population is expected to further increase the number of prostate cancer patients.

Most patients diagnosed with prostate cancer initially receive surgery or radiation therapy, and some of these patients are cured. For many others, though, the disease recurs. At this point, the recurrent disease is treated with hormone therapy, and most patients initially respond well to this treatment. Eventually, however, the tumor cells become resistant to the hormones — or “hormone-refractory” — and the tumor again progresses. Increasingly, chemotherapy is being used as an effective first-line treatment for HRPC. However, it is not a cure, and so this is creating a need for effective therapeutic options as second-line chemotherapy treatments for these patients once they have progressed.

About Satraplatin

Satraplatin, an investigational drug, is a member of the platinum family of compounds. Over the past two decades, platinum-based drugs have become a critical part of modern chemotherapy treatments and are used to treat a wide variety of cancers. Worldwide sales of these drugs exceeded $2.2 billion in 2004. Unlike the platinum drugs currently on the market, all of which require intravenous administration, satraplatin is an orally bioavailable compound and is given as capsules that patients can take at home. An oral platinum drug could offer key advantages, including ease of administration and patient convenience, in a variety of applications. Satraplatin is in a Phase 3 registrational trial — the SPARC trial — as a second-line chemotherapy treatment for HRPC. GPC Biotech has completed a Special Protocol Assessment with the U.S. FDA and has received a Scientific Advice letter from the European regulatory authority, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). The FDA has also granted fast track designation to satraplatin for this indication.

Phase 2 trials have been completed in HRPC, ovarian cancer and small cell lung cancer. Promising early clinical results have also been shown when satraplatin is combined with radiation therapy, and a Phase 1/2 study evaluating this combination in patients with non-small cell lung cancer has been initiated. Several others studies evaluating satraplatin in combination with other therapies and in various cancers are underway or planned. Further information on satraplatin can be found at the Company’s website at http://www.spectrumpharm.com/ or in the Anticancer Programs section of GPC Biotech’s website at http://www.gpc-biotech.com/.

About Spectrum Pharmaceuticals

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the business of acquiring, developing and commercializing prescription drug products for the treatment of cancer and other unmet medical needs. By leveraging its operational flexibility and regulatory proficiency, and using the extensive research and development capabilities of its strategic alliance partners, Spectrum has built a diversified portfolio of proprietary and generic drug products in various stages of development and regulatory approval. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.spectrumpharm.com/.

Forward-looking statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements include but are not limited to statements that relate to our business and its future, the Company’s operational flexibility and regulatory proficiency, the extensive research and development capabilities of the Company’s strategic alliance partners, completing the Phase 3 study and moving forward in the registration process as expeditiously as possible, bringing satraplatin to marketing approval, key advantages of an oral platinum drug, including ease of administration and patient convenience, in a variety of applications, initiating studies evaluating satraplatin in combination with other therapies and in various cancers and any statements that relate to the intent, belief, plans or expectations of Spectrum or its management, or that are not a statement of historical fact. Risks that could cause actual results to differ include the possibility that our existing and new drug candidates, may not prove safe or effective, the possibility that our existing and new drug candidates may not receive approval from the FDA, and other regulatory agencies in a timely manner or at all, the possibility that our existing and new drug candidates, if approved, may not be more effective, safer or more cost efficient than competing drugs, the possibility that past results may not be indicative of future results, the possibility that price and other competitive pressures may make the marketing and sale of our generic drugs not commercially feasible, the possibility that our efforts to acquire or in- license and develop additional drug candidates may fail, our lack of revenues, our limited experience in establishing strategic alliances, our limited marketing experience, our limited experience with the generic drug industry, our dependence on third parties for clinical trials, manufacturing, distribution and quality control and other risks that are described in further detail in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact: Laurie Little
Sr. Director, Investor Relations
(949) 743-9216

Website: http://www.spectrumpharm.com/
Website: http://www.gpc-biotech.com/

Posted under Cancer Research, North America, Press Releases, Targeted Libraries | Comments Off

Welichem reports positive results with its lead anticancer agent

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 November 2005 04:53 Written by admin Wednesday, 30 November 2005 04:43

VANCOUVER, Sept. 23 /CNW/ – Welichem Biotech Inc. (the “Company”) (TSX-V:
WBI), a biotechnology company developing therapeutic drugs in the fields of
autoimmune diseases and cancer, today announces positive results on the
anticancer activity of its WBI-2000 series of compounds. These results, from
work done by Dr. M. Alaoui-Jamali at the Centre of Translational Research in
Cancer of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, showed a potent delay of
tumor growth following administration of the Company’s drug lead, WBI-2100, in
a human melanoma cancer model grown in mice. The results are consistent with
those from in vitro and in vivo studies on WBI-2100 conducted by the US
National Cancer Institute (“NCI”). The Company’s WBI-2100, a fully
synthesized, small molecule compound, delayed the growth of common cancers
such as breast, ovary and colon.
“These positive results of WBI-2100, in studies from different research
laboratories are very encouraging, and the nature of the data open-up
potential for use of this novel agent alone or in conjunction with existing
therapies” said President and CEO Dr. John M. Webster.
Activity against major types of cancer was demonstrated by NCI for
several members of the WBI-2000 series in vitro, and ten of them were selected
by the NCI for further in vivo testing, including in human xenograft models.
This group of compounds can be readily developed and formulated and have no
structural similarity to current therapeutic agents.
Welichem’s compounds in the WBI-2000 series are tested, under a November,
1996 screening agreement, with the Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis Division of
NCI, the principal agency for cancer research of the United States government.

About Welichem Biotech Inc.

Welichem Biotech Inc. is a pioneering Canadian biopharmaceutical company
that is developing proprietary small molecule drugs with large potential and
significant competitive advantages in areas of auto-immune/ inflammatory
diseases and cancer. The first lead compound is in formal preclinical
development for therapeutic application against psoriasis.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John M. Webster

President and CEO

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news
release. This press release contains forward-looking statements that include
our belief as to the potential of our WBI-2000 series compounds. Certain risks
and uncertainties such as results of pre-clinical tests of our products, the
availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development
projects, outcomes of our patent applications, and our ability to successfully
commercialize the products could cause the Company’s actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
%SEDAR: 00021386E

For further information: Dr. John Webster, President & CEO,
(604) 432-1703, email: jwebster@welichem.com or Allan McGirr, Investor
Relations, (604) 317-2981, email: amcgirr@welichem.com

Posted under Cancer Research, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off

LifePharms, Inc. Receives Approval for Phase II SBIR Grant for Cancer Research from NIH

Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 September 2005 10:54 Written by admin Tuesday, 27 September 2005 10:54

GROTON, Conn. (Sept. 25, 2005) â€“ LifePharms, Inc., has received approval for the second phase of a 2 year, $903,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Healthâ€™s National Cancer Institute to continue development of its leading anti-cancer compound. The Phase I grant was used to identify promising anti-cancer compounds from LifePharms’ natural product collections, as part of a larger effort by the National Cancer Institute to develop compounds that show selectivity in affecting cancer cells. The compounds under development at LifePharms thus far appear to demonstrate both the potency and selectivity that researchers are seeking in compounds that target and destroy cancer cells without affecting surrounding normal, healthy cells.
Lifepharms, Inc. is a biotechnology company headquartered at the University of Connecticutâ€™s Technology Incubation Program at Avery Point in Groton. LifePharmsâ€™ research focuses on discovering novel natural product compounds from basidiomycetes and ascomycetes (mushrooms). Its collection consists of more than 16,000 samples of these fungi that have been collected from sites over the entire North American continent.
As an additional component of SBIR II grant, LifePharms will be developing a unique library containing up to 100,000 purified compounds from its fungal extracts. This library will allow the company and its research collaborators to rapidly identify new lead compounds targeting cancer and other therapeutic areas. The majority of the species in its collection have never been cultured or catalogued and are unavailable in any fermentation collection. Estimates indicate that 40 percent of drugs have been discovered from natural sources, and an even greater percent of the novel structural classes of compounds are from natural products.
The isolation and chemical identification of active lead compounds will be carried out at the Natural Products Laboratory of RTI International, which has a long history of natural product drug discovery that includes the discoveries of camptothecin and Taxol. These compounds and their chemical derivatives are two of the most universally used anticancer agents on the market. RTIâ€™s discoveries represent nearly one-third of the anti-cancer therapeutic market. Dr. Nicholas Oberlies leads the project at the institution.
According to E. Edward Mena, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Life Pharms, “This grant is a welcomed validation of our approach to drug discovery through our novel natural product library. Not only are we investigating several anti-cancer compounds with unique and interesting properties, but our lead compound has a novel structure that is distinct from other cancer therapeutics in use or in devlopment. . We welcome the support from the NIH to bolster our research efforts.” Mena, is the principle investigator of the project.
In the past year the company has announced two other research collaborations. LifePharms is the lead institution along with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute and RTI on a project funded by a five-year research grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The grant funds research to discover small-molecule therapeutics for smallpox infections. LifePharms also has entered into a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit of the U.S. Department of Agricultureâ€™s Agriculture Research Service for the joint development of agricultural fungicides and herbicides.

The SBIR program is a highly competitive peer-reviewed grant program that provides support to small businesses with innovative technologies that possess significant commercial potential.

For more information, contact Dr. Mena at lifepharms@aol.com or at (860) 405-9219.

Posted under Cancer Research, Grants and Awards, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off

Gossypol. What is it?

Last Updated on Monday, 26 September 2005 01:31 Written by admin Monday, 26 September 2005 01:31

What is it?

Gossypol is an herbal medicine used to treat cancer and a female problem called endometriosis. It may also be used by women and men to prevent pregnancy.

Other names for Gossypol include: Gossypium hirsutum and Cottonseed oil.

Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist if you need more information about this medicine or if any information in this leaflet concerns you.

Before Using: Tell your doctor if you.

* are taking medicine or are allergic to any medicine (prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) or dietary supplement)
* are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine
* are breastfeeding
* have other health problems, such as high blood pressure or heart or blood vessel disease

Dosage: There are many doses for this medicine. The most common doses for Gossypol are listed below. Ask your doctor if your health problem is not on the list or if the dose is not given for a product you want to use.

* Cancer (adrenal), tablet: 40 to 60 milligrams daily, by mouth (1)
* Cancer (glioma), tablet: Racemic Gossypol 10 milligrams twice daily, by mouth (2)
* Female birth control, gel: put application of a Gossypol acetic acid gel 0.5 milligram/milliliter into vagina before having sex (3)
* Male birth control, tablet: 10 to 20 milligrams (mg) daily for 75 to 180 days or until adequate reduction in sperm count is reached, followed by 35 to 65 mg weekly, by mouth (4-8)

To store this medicine: Keep all medicine locked up and away from children. Store medicine away from heat and direct light. Do not store your medicine in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down and not work the way it should work. Throw away medicine that is out of date or that you do not need. Never share your medicine with others.

Drug and Food Interactions: Do not take Gossypol without talking to your doctor if you are taking:

* Chloroquine (9)
* Digoxin (1,7,10-12)
* Diuretic (1,7,11)
* Ethanol (13-15)
* Iron (16)
* Isoproterenol (10,17,18)
* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (1,19,20)
* Potassium (7,11,12)

Warnings:

* Do not take Gossypol if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Side Effects: Stop taking your medicine right away and talk to your doctor if you have any of the following side effects. Your medicine may be causing these symptoms which may mean you are allergic to it.

* Breathing problems or tightness in your throat or chest
* Chest pain
* Skin hives, rash, or itchy or swollen skin
* Severe tiredness (21)
* Muscle weakness or paralysis (21)
* Dry mouth or skin, nausea (upset stomach), vomiting (throwing up), hair loss, bowel problems (1)

References:
1. Flack MR, Pyle RG, Sullen NM et al: Oral gossypol in the treatment of metastatic adrenal cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1993; 76:1019-1024.
2. Bushunow P, Reidenberg NM, Wasenko J et al: Gossypol treatment of recurrent adult malignant gliomas. J Neuro-Oncology 1999; 43(1):79-86.
3. Ratsula K, Haukkamaa M, Wichmann K et al: Vaginal contraception with gossypol: a clinical study. Contraception 1983; 27(6):571-576.
4. Coutinho EM, Athayde C, Atta G et al: Gossypol blood levels and inhibition of spermatogenesis in men taking gossypol as a contraceptive. A multicenter, international, dose-finding study. Contraception 2000; 61(1): 61-67.
5. Gu ZP, Mao BY, Wang YX et al: Low dose gossypol for male contraception. Asian J Androl 2000; 2(4):283-287.
6. Coutinho EM & Melo JF: Clinical experience with gossypol in non-Chinese men: a follow-up. Contraception 1988; 37(2):137-151.
7. Liu GZ, Lyle KC & Cao J: Clinical trial of gossypol as a male contraceptive drug. Part I. Efficacy study. Fertil Steril 1987; 48(3):459-461.
8. Liu GZ, Lyle K & Cao J: Experiences with gossypol as a male pill. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1987a; 157(4 pt 2):1079-1082.
9. Nwoha PU & Aire TA: The effects of gossypol and chloroquine interaction on serum electrolytes of protein-malnourished rats. Contraception 1995a; 52(4):255-259.
10. Ye YX, Akera T & Ng YC: Modification of the positive inotropic effects of catecholamines, cardiac glycosides and Ca2+ by the orally active male contraceptive, gossypol, in isolated guinea pig heart. Life Sci 1989; 45(20): 1853-1861.
11. Liu GZ, Ch’iu-Hinton K, Cao J et al: Effects of potassium salt or a potassium blocker on gossypol-related hypokalemia. Contraception 1988; 37(2):111-117.
12. Shaozhen A, Guangwei J, Xiaoyun W et al: Gossypol related hypokalemia: clinicopharmacologic studies. Chin Med J 1980; 93:477-482.
13. Akingbemi BT, Rao PV & Aire TA: Chronic ethanol intake may delay the onset of gossypol-induced infertility in the male rat. Andrologia 1997; 29(4):201-207.
14. Messiha FS: Effect of gossypol on kinetics of mouse liver alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Gen Pharmac 1991; 22(4):573-576.
15. Messiha FS: Behavioral and metabolic interaction between gossypol and ethanol. Toxicol Lett 1991a; 57(2):175-181.
16. Herman DL & Smith FH: Effect of bound gossypol on the absorption of iron by rats. J Nutr 1973; 103(6):882-889.
17. Wu DF, Yu YW, Tang ZM et al: Pharmacokinetics of (+/-)-,(+)-, and (-)-gossypol in humans and dogs. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1986; 39(6):613-618.
18. Ye YX, Akera T & Ng YC: Direct actions of gossypol on cardiac muscle. Eur J Pharmacol 1987; 136(1):55-62.
19.Wagner H, Hikino H & Farnsworth NR (eds): Economic and Medicinal Plant Research. Academic Press, London, England; 1985.
20. DeSmet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R et al (eds): Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany; 1993:195-208.
21. Wooley RJ: Contraception-a look forward, part II: Mifepristone and gossypol. Contraception 1991; 4:103-113.

Source: Health Library
The information contained in this health library is for reference purposes only. Some services or procedures listed here may not be provided by Genesis Health System entities. Please consult your medical professional for further information.

Posted under Cancer Research, Natural Products, North America | Comments Off

Welichem reports positive results with its lead anticancer agent

Last Updated on Friday, 23 September 2005 12:57 Written by admin Friday, 23 September 2005 12:57

About Welichem Biotech Inc.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John M. Webster

President and CEO

For further information: Dr. John Webster, President & CEO,
(604) 432-1703, email: jwebster@welichem.com or Allan McGirr, Investor
Relations, (604) 317-2981, email: amcgirr@welichem.com

Posted under Cancer Research, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off

U-M researchers identify new blood test for prostate cancer

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 September 2005 10:36 Written by admin Wednesday, 21 September 2005 10:36

Test looks at 22 biomarkers; results more accurate than PSA
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a panel of 22 biomarkers that together provide a more accurate screening for prostate cancer than the current prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test.

The study appears in the Sept. 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers looked at blood samples taken from 331 prostate cancer patients prior to surgery, and from 159 control males with no history of cancer. They began by testing the samples against a library of 2,300 bacteriophage, organisms that express proteins on their surface, and were able to narrow the field to the 22 biomarkers that most often pinpointed the cancerous blood samples.

More than 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. Current screening methods involve a blood test to check for prostate specific antigen, an enzyme produced by the prostate. But the PSA test is controversial. A high level does not always indicate prostate cancer and some experts suggest a rise in PSA is more significant than a consistently high PSA. A high PSA level can also indicate benign prostate conditions.

“Initially, we envision this new test could be used as a supplement to PSA. A physician might suggest a patient with an elevated PSA have this test before a biopsy to better determine whether it’s a cancerous or benign condition. In the future, I think this could replace PSA,” says lead study author Arul Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D., the S.P. Hicks Collegiate Professor of Pathology at the U-M Medical School.

In the current study, researchers first tested the blood serum samples of 39 men with prostate cancer and 21 controls to identify autoantibodies against prostate cancer. Cancer patients produce antibodies that fight against proteins that play a role in cancer. The researchers scanned 2,300 autoantibodies and initially narrowed it down to 186 that reacted with blood serum from the men with prostate cancer.

This discovery phase formed the basis for the next round of tests, in which 59 prostate cancer samples and 70 control samples were tested against the 186 autoantibodies. In this phase, the researcher identified a panel of 22 compounds that best distinguished the prostate cancer blood samples from the controls. Using these 22 markers, only two of 70 controls incorrectly tested positive for prostate cancer, and seven of 59 prostate cancer samples were falsely negative.

Next, the researchers validated their findings using the remaining 128 blood serum samples. They found eight of 68 controls and 11 of 60 prostate cancer samples were misclassified. This means 88 percent of the time, samples that were not cancerous were correctly identified and 81.6 percent of the time, samples that were cancerous tested positive.

“These 22 biomarkers appear to be the right number. If you used too many or too few, the accuracy went down a bit. Our findings held up when we tested the model on an independent set of blood serum samples,” Chinnaiyan says.

The results proved to be more reliable at predicting cancer than prostate specific antigen, which is a single biomarker. PSA testing results in a false positive around 80 percent of the time, leading to unnecessary prostate biopsies. The normal range for the PSA test is less than 4.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) in most men. For men over 40 years old with a family history of prostate disease or for African-American men over 40 years old, some doctors suggest that a level higher than 2.5 ng/mL should be checked with more tests, because these two groups of men have an increased risk of prostate cancer.

The 22-biomarker test was reliable at identifying prostate cancer even in the PSA ranges of 4-10 ng/ml or 2.5-10 ng/ml, intermediate PSA scores that do not always suggest cancer. The study authors suggest the 22 biomarkers could be used for patients in this range to help determine whether to undergo a biopsy.

The new test requires only a routine blood draw for patients. Most blood-processing laboratories could easily be equipped to scan for these 22 biomarkers, Chinnaiyan says. Researchers are conducting further studies to validate the findings with a larger, community-based group of patients.

###

In addition to Chinnaiyan, U-M study authors were Xiaoju Wang, Ph.D., research associate; Jianjun Yu, research assistant; Arun Sreekumar, Ph.D., research investigator; Sooryanarayana Varambally, Ph.D., Ronglai Shen, research assistant; Donald Giacherio, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of pathology; Rohit Mehra, M.D., pathology research fellow; James Montie, M.D., Valassis Professor of Urologic Oncology and professor and chair of urology; Kenneth Pienta, M.D., professor of internal medicine and director of Urologic Oncology; John Wei, M.D., associate professor of urology; and Debashis Ghosh, Ph.D., assistant professor of biostatistics. Additional authors were Martin Sanda, M.D., Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center; Philip Kantoff, M.D., Dana Farber Cancer Institute; and Mark Rubin, M.D., Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Funding for the study is from the National Cancer Institute Early Detection Research Network Biomarker Developmental Lab, the U-M Prostate Cancer SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) grant, the American Cancer Society, the V Foundation and a U.S. Department of Defense Post-Doctoral Training Grant.

The University of Michigan has filed for a patent on the findings of this study on which Chinnaiyan and Wang are listed as inventors.

For more information about prostate cancer, visit www.cancer.med.umich.edu/learn/prostate.htm or call the Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

Reference: New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 353, issue 12

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MerLion teams up with UK firm in anti-cancer drugs research

Last Updated on Tuesday, 20 September 2005 12:22 Written by admin Tuesday, 20 September 2005 12:22

SINGAPORE : A Singapore-based drug discovery company, MerLion Pharmaceuticals, and UK’s Cancer Research Technology (CRT) are teaming up to identify new anti-cancer drugs from natural product chemistry.

Under the collaboration, MerLion will screen their natural compound collection against high throughput screens developed by scientists at CRT.

The aim is to isolate new therapeutic compounds against validated cancer targets.

Targets will be selected from research carried out by Cancer Research in the UK and CRT’s other partners.

MerLion and CRT will work closely throughout the target selection and screening process.

The results of the collaboration will be jointly owned.

The tie-up is the first since the Joint Statement on Science, Engineering and Technology signed by Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Tony Blair two months ago.

- CNA /ls

Posted under Asia, Cancer Research, Collaborations, Europe | Comments Off

Three-dimensional culture will simulate tumor micro-environment, enable rapid testing for candidate drugs

Last Updated on Sunday, 4 September 2005 06:19 Written by admin Sunday, 4 September 2005 06:19

(I-Newswire) – The National Foundation for Cancer Research ( “NFCR” ) has aligned with The Prostate Cancer Foundation to grant $200,000 in seed funding to The Burnham Institute’s NCI-designated Cancer Center to develop three-dimensional experimental culture systems that simulate a tumor’s micro-environment. The outcome of this pilot study is anticipated to provide a new model for discovery and pre-clinical evaluation of anti-cancer drugs.

“By collaborating with both the Burnham and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, we anticipate the outcomes and discoveries from this study to significantly accelerate both our understanding of cell-cell interactions and as a result, the pace at which drugs are made available to patients,” said Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr., President of the National Foundation for Cancer Research. “We know that our organizations’ joint work on these projects is a model for future research initiatives and collaborations.”

“We are delighted to partner with the NFCR and Burnham to help give investigators the ability to establish standards for a 3-dimensional culture, which we believe will have a significant effect on how pre-clinical evaluation of anti-cancer drugs can be tested in the future,” said Leslie Michelson, CEO, The Prostate Cancer Foundation. “We will follow their progress closely and look forward to sharing their results.”

Burnham investigators have developed a unique technique for culturing cancer cells into clusters, called spheroids, which links cellular biochemistry with tumor physiology. The 3-dimensional culturing of cancer cells is a significant advancement over conventional tissue culture methods in which cells are grown in two-dimension, as a flattened layer on plastic. The new method will expedite the drug discovery process, as thousands of compounds can be tested in three-dimensional cell culture to determine prime drug candidates before testing in animals.

The NFCR and Prostate Cancer Foundation partnership funding will enable the Burnham investigators to establish standards for 3-dimensional culture, which has potential applications beyond cancer, and develop new methods for high throughput screening with chemical compounds and high-throughput imaging of spheroids.

“We are grateful to NFCR and The Prostate Cancer Foundation for their vision, partnership, and support this project,” said Dr. John C. Reed, President and CEO of The Burnham Institute. “We anticipate that these studies will revolutionize our understanding of cell-cell interactions in the context of cancer physiology and responsiveness of the malignant cells to therapeutic agents. It would be impossible to start this creative and potentially far-reaching work without the seed funding granted by our partners, which includes individual donors who contribute to NFCR and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.”

The NFCR and Prostate Cancer Foundation each provided $100,000 for the project ( $200,000 total ). Seed funding, such as the grants provided by these two foundations, plays a critical role in launching innovative projects that are not yet sufficiently developed to be competitive for NIH or other government funding.

About National Foundation for Cancer Research

Since its founding, the NFCR has spent more than $210 million funding basic science cancer research and prevention education focused on understanding how and why cells become cancerous. NFCR is dedicated to funding scientists who are discovering cancer’s molecular mysteries and translating these discoveries into therapies that hold the hope for curing cancer. NFCR has established a powerful collaborative network of nine research centers and more than 30 laboratories around the world in the fight against cancer. NFCR scientists work together to share knowledge so that discoveries at the bench can be accelerated to the bedside. NFCR is “Research for a Cure”. For more information, visit http://www.NFCR.org. or call ( 800 ) 321-CURE.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the world’s largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $230 million and provided funding for prostate cancer research to more than 1,200 researchers at more than 100 institutions worldwide. The PCF has a simple, yet urgent goal: to find better treatments and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer. For more information, visit ProstateCancer Foundation.org.

About the Burnham Institute

The Burnham Institute, founded in 1976, is an independent not-for-profit biomedical research institution dedicated to advancing the frontiers of scientific knowledge and providing the foundation for tomorrow’s medical therapies. The Institute is home to three major centers: the Cancer Center, the Del E. Webb Neuroscience and Aging Center, and the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center. Since 1981, the Institute’s Cancer Center has been a member of the National Cancer Institute’s prestigious Cancer Centers program. Discoveries by Burnham scientists have contributed to the development of new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and several forms of cancer. Today the Burnham Institute employs over 700, including more than 550 scientists. The majority of the Institute’s funding derives from federal sources, but private philanthropic support is essential to continuing bold and innovative research. For additional information about the Institute and ways to support the research efforts of the Institute, visit http://www.burnham.org.

Nancy Beddingfield
nbeddingfield@burnham.org
858-646-3146
Burnham Institute

http://www.burnham-inst.org

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New Mexico Team Named for NIH Roadmap Center: ChemDiv Supports Collaboration With Medicinal Chemistry Services

Last Updated on Monday, 11 July 2005 03:12 Written by admin Monday, 11 July 2005 03:12

SAN DIEGO and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., July 11 /PRNewswire/ — A New Mexico team
has been awarded a $9 million dollar three-year grant from the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop the New Mexico Molecular Library
Screening Center (NMMLSC). The NMMLSC center is part of NIH’s “Roadmap”
initiative aimed at putting medical discoveries on the fast track to improving
health as well as making research more understandable. The NMMLSC will be
centered at the UNM Health Sciences Center, with major HSC components in the
UNM Cancer Research & Treatment Center (CRTC), the UNM College of Pharmacy,
and the Division of Biocomputing of the School of Medicine. The NMMLSC will
be part of a network of nine national facilities working to identify the most
compelling opportunities in three main areas: new pathways to discovery,
research teams of the future, and re-engineering the clinical research
enterprise.
The director of the NMMLSC Larry Sklar, Ph.D. and Director of Research at
the UNM CRTC, said, “This is an important step for the scientific process in
going from individual scientists working in small groups to teams of
interdisciplinary networks across the country working together.” Dr. Sklar
added, “In this Center, we will discover small molecules that target important
biological processes. The targets come from the NIH community and our Center
will perform screens on these targets with small molecules. We will then use
chemistry to optimize activities of these small molecules and output data back
to the NIH community. These small molecules can be used as probes, imaging
agents and leads for new drug molecules.”
The Division of Biocomputing, established through the assistance of the
New Mexico Tobacco Settlement, will provide informatics support to the Center.
Tudor Oprea, MD, PhD, Director of the Office, said, “This is truly a team
effort where work to evaluate small molecules, both virtually and physically,
are integrated. We will continue our successful partnership with ChemDiv Inc.
in order to identify and optimize new molecular probes.” Larry Sklar added
that “UNM’s long standing collaboration with ChemDiv, a San Diego based
research contract organization, has been essential to gaining the NIH grant.”
ChemDiv provides UNM with access to Discovery outSource(TM) a full service
drug discovery capability encompassing; synthetic and medicinal chemistry;
pre-clinical development; diverse and focused screening libraries; global
logistics and sample management services.
The Center team includes researchers from New Mexico State (Jeffrey
Arterburn and Pete Herndon), New Mexico Tech (Alex Kornienko), and ChemDiv
(Alexander Kiselyov). Scientists from other UNM departments will include
Bruce Edwards and Larry Sklar from Pathology, Eric Prossnitz from Cell Biology
and Physiology, Tudor Oprea, David vander Jagt and Robert Royer from
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Lorraine Deck and Wei Wang from
Chemistry, Herbert Tanner from the School of Engineering and a new senior
medicinal chemistry recruit from the College of Pharmacy.

About ChemDiv, Inc.: ChemDiv Incorporated (ChemDiv) with headquarters in
San Diego, USA is a global chemistry-driven contract research organization
focused on the delivery of new scientific innovation and products and services
that meet the drug discovery needs of its partners.
For further information about ChemDiv, please visit www.chemdiv.com.

SOURCE ChemDiv, Inc.
-0- 07/11/2005
/CONTACT: Cathleen Rineer-Garber, Communications and Publications Manager
of UNM Health Sciences Center, +1-505-272-5654, CGarber@salud.unm.edu; or
Natalie Ikizalp, Business Development/Project Manager of ChemDiv, Inc.,
+1-858-794-4860, nni@chemdiv.com/
/Web site: http://www.chemdiv.com /

Posted under Cancer Research, Collaborations, Grants and Awards, North America | Comments Off

Cytomics Systems Identifies New Anti-cancer Molecules Targeting the Ubiquitin-proteasome Pathway

Last Updated on Saturday, 9 July 2005 04:27 Written by admin Saturday, 9 July 2005 04:27

Second-generation proteasome inhibitors open the way to new therapies in oncology and provide a further validation of Cytomics’ UbiScreen screening technology

PARIS, July 8, 2005 – Cytomics Systems, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery of small molecules that control the degradation of proteins, today announces that it has identified compounds able to inhibit the in vitro proliferation of human cancer cells. These molecules act on the non-catalytic activities of the proteasome and represent a new generation of proteasome inhibitors with potential to create new therapies for use in the fight against cancer.

Cytomics used its proprietary high-throughput cell-based screening technology, UbiScreen(R) to identify these new compounds. UbiScreen(R) is a platform designed to help develop candidate molecules targeting the Ubiquitin-proteasome protein degradation pathway. The announcement follows Cytomics’ earlier success in preclinical trials of its hospital-acquired fungal infection treatment using molecules also identified through UbiScreen(R).

In vitro experiments carried out by Cytomics show that the new molecules target the regulating subunits of the proteasome and should provide more efficacy and selectivity than the compounds targeting the catalytic activities of the proteasome.

At present, only one drug on the market targets the Ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and it has been very successful in treating multi-resistant myeloma from both a therapeutic and a commercial point of view.

“The identification of these molecules is a further proof of the efficacy of Cytomics’ UbiScreen(R) platform,” said Dr CÃ©cile Bougeret, Director of Research and Development at Cytomics Systems. “Using UbiScreen(R), we can select molecules of therapeutic interest which regulate the degradation of proteins by the Ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.”

Cytomics Systems will further optimize the newly identified molecules and expects to carry out in vivo experiments in early 2006. These tests will be carried out on nude mice xenografted with human cancer cells. Assuming positive results, Cytomics will move them into pre-clinical trials.

“With this second series of molecules, Cytomics has taken a significant stride forward,” said Dominique Thomas, president of Cytomics Systems. “We now believe that our molecules should lead to significant improvements in the treatment of several types of cancer.”

About the Ubiquitin Proteasome pathway: The Ubiquitin Proteasome pathway is the universal process of protein degradation in human cells. Ubiquitin ligases are the key enzymes that regulate this degradation by attaching a Ubiquitin “label” to the proteins that are to be destroyed. The proteins with this tag are recognized and eliminated by the Proteasome which then breaks them down into inactive peptides. By regulating the concentration of proteins present in a cell, the Ubiquitin pathway plays a key role in a large number of cellular processes, including regulation of the cellular cycle and immune response, the control of gene expression, and apoptosis or cell-death. Faults in the degradation of certain proteins are known to cause major pathologies including cancer, inflammatory disease and neurodegenerative diseases as has been pointed out by the Swedish Academy of Science when the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2004 was awarded to the team who discovered this mechanism.

About Cytomics Systems: www.cytomics.fr Cytomics Systems, Paris, is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of small molecules that control the degradation of proteins to treat major human diseases such as cancer and hospital-acquired fungal infections. The company was founded in 2000 by Dr Dominique Thomas, director of research at the CNRS Center for Molecular Genetics, and internationally recognized for his work in the field of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway for protein degradation. Cytomics has so far raised EUR3M from SGAM (SociÃ©tÃ© GÃ©nÃ©rale Asset Management) and has 15 employees. The company has developed a highly innovative high-throughput screening technology, UbiScreen(R) for the discovery of new therapeutic molecules controlling the degradation of target proteins. Cytomics is initially using this technology to target fungal hospital-acquired infections and some types of cancer. Favorable preclinical results demonstrate how effective these molecules can be.

Posted under Cancer Research, Europe | Comments Off

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Cytomics Systems Identifies New Anti-cancer Molecules Targeting the Ubiquitin-proteasome Pathway

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