New Preclinical Research Supports Ceflatonin(R) in Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
23 3월 2006 - 8:26AM
PR Newswire (US)
MELBOURNE, Australia and MENLO PARK, Calif., March 22 /PRNewswire/
-- ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited
(ASX:CXSASX:andASX:Nasdaq:ASX:CXSP) announced today the publication
of pre-clinical research supporting the expansion of its clinical
development of Ceflatonin to include treatment of acute myeloid
leukemia (AML) patients in addition to chronic myeloid leukemia
(CML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. The paper, in
the March 2006 issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (Volume 5,
Issue 3, pp 723-731), describes research performed in the
laboratory of Dr Jean-Pierre Marie of the Universite Pierre et
Marie Curie in Paris which elaborates on the cellular mode of
action of homoharringtonine, or "sHHT" (Ceflatonin) in AML patient
cells. The authors strongly encourage further clinical
investigation of sHHT in the treatment of AML. "This publication by
Professor Marie's research team is a strong endorsement of the
potential for Ceflatonin to treat a range of leukemias," said Greg
Collier, ChemGenex chief executive officer and managing director.
"We have recently reported positive phase 2 data for Ceflatonin
treating CML, and have ongoing and planned clinical programs in MDS
and AML. There is significant unmet medical need across a range of
leukemias globally and we believe that Ceflatonin has the potential
to meet these needs for many patients." Professor Marie's team
found that sHHT (Ceflatonin) induced apoptosis (cell death) in
acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patient cells grown in culture.
This apoptosis was achieved by mitochondrial disruption and the
release of cytochrome c, resulting in the activation of the
caspase-9 and caspase-3. It was also shown that sHHT triggered the
turnover of the anti- apoptotic protein, myeloid cell leukemia-1
(Mcl-1), which in turn induced the cleavage of bcl-2, a protein
whose over-expression is linked to a number of cancers as well as
resistance to conventional cancer treatments. The authors conclude
that these findings strongly encourage further clinical
investigation of sHHT in the treatment of AML. About Ceflatonin(R)
Ceflatonin (HHT) is a potent inducer of apoptosis (programmed cell
death) in myeloid cells and inhibits angiogenesis (blood vessel
formation). Ceflatonin has confirmed Phase 2 clinical activity in
resistant CML, both as a single agent and in combination with other
approved drugs. ChemGenex is developing Ceflatonin for the
treatment of CML, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid
leukemia (AML). About ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited
(http://www.chemgenex.com/) ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals is a
pharmaceutical development company dedicated to improving the lives
of patients by developing therapeutics in the areas of oncology,
diabetes, obesity, and depression. ChemGenex harnesses the power of
genomics for target discovery and validation, and in clinical
trials to develop more individualized therapeutic outcomes.
ChemGenex's lead compound, Ceflatonin(R), is currently in phase 2/3
clinical trials for leukemia and Quinamed(R) is in phase 2 clinical
trials for prostate, breast and ovarian cancers. The company has a
significant portfolio of anti-cancer, diabetes, obesity and
depression programs, several of which have been partnered with
international pharmaceutical companies. ChemGenex currently trades
on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol "CXS" and on
NASDAQ under the symbol "CXSP". Safe Harbor Statement Certain
statements made herein that use the words "estimate," "project,"
"intend," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions are intended
to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the US
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of the company to be materially different from those
which may be expressed or implied by such statements, including,
among others, risks or uncertainties associated with the
development of the company's technology, the ability to
successfully market products in the clinical pipeline, the ability
to advance promising therapeutics through clinical trials, the
ability to establish our fully integrated technologies, the ability
to enter into additional collaborations and strategic alliances and
expand current collaborations and obtain milestone payments, the
suitability of internally discovered genes for drug development ,
the ability of the company to meet its financial requirements, the
ability of the company to protect its proprietary technology,
potential limitations on the company's technology, the market for
the company's products, government regulation in Australia and the
United States, changes in tax and other laws, changes in
competition and the loss of key personnel. These statements are
based on our management's current expectations and are subject to a
number of uncertainties that could change the results described in
the forward-looking statements. Investors should be aware that
there are no assurances that results will not differ from those
projected. DATASOURCE: ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited CONTACT:
Dr. Greg Collier, CEO and Managing Director, Australia,
+61-3-5227-2752, or USA, +1-650-474-9800 ext 103, or Dr. Dennis
Brown, President and Director, USA, +1-650-474-9800 ext 108,
Australia, +61-3-5227-2703, both for ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals
Limited Web site: http://www.chemgenex.com/
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