| |
|
|
MENLO PARK, CA - October 2, 2002 / PR Newswire - SLIL Biomedical Corp. today announced the publication of seminal ‘Sequential Pathogenesis’ research, conducted by UCSF scientists, SLIL Biomedical researchers and academic collaborators, in the October issue of Cancer Research. The study found that macrophages, normally key immune defense cells-when taken from HIV-infected lymphoma patients and injected into mice-induced aggressive mouse T-cell lymphomas. The study establishes that normal human macrophages, when altered by retroviral infection, can become proliferating macrophages (‘ProMacs’), capable of causing disease. SLIL Biomedical is the exclusive licensee to UCSF patents covering this technology, with worldwide rights to develop and commercialize products based upon it. The study’s lead investigator, Michael S. McGrath, MD, PhD, UCSF professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF’s Positive Health Program at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center is a co-founder of SLIL Biomedical and an exclusive consultant to the Company. "Our theory is that, during HIV infection, disease associated macrophages have HIV inserted near growth promoting genes allowing macrophages to become neoplastic. These cells begin to proliferate, an event that classical thinking about macrophages says is impossible. In addition, these proliferating macrophages (ProMacs) do what all macrophages do and produce factors. Normal macrophages produce factors to help fight diseases. ProMacs, instead, produce factors that stimulate lymphoma growth," said McGrath. In addition, these HIV-infected macrophages are an important reservoir of HIV infection that remains unaffected by current antiretroviral therapies, McGrath said. New therapies targeting HIV-infected macrophages hold promise not only for fighting lymphoma, but also could assist in eliminating latent reservoirs of HIV. "This exciting research illuminates both the power of SLIL’s ‘Sequential Pathogenesis’ platform and the potential for SLIL Biomedical’s polyamine analog compounds, currently in development for the treatment of various cancers and other serious human diseases," said Jim Rurka, President and CEO. The Company’s most-advanced polyamine analog compound, SL 11047, recently entered into a phase I/II clinical trial at UCSF under the direction of Lawrence D. Kaplan, MD, UCSF professor of clinical medicine and Director of the UCSF Lymphoma Program. This trial specifically targets individuals with relapsed HIV-associated lymphomas. A second SL 11047 trial for patients with non-HIV lymphomas is expected to open before the end of this year. In addition to SL 11047, the Company has several promising drug candidates in preclinical testing, including SL 11093, targeted to treatment of pancreatic and prostate cancers, expected to enter Phase I trials in 2003, Rurka said. SLIL Biomedical Corp. is a privately held biopharmaceutical company, engaged in the discovery and development of drugs to treat cancers and other proliferative diseases. Polyamine analogs are the centerpiece of SLIL’s drug discovery platform and the company now has a substantial pipeline of lead compounds. SLIL also holds the exclusive license from the University of California San Francisco to the ‘Sequential Pathogenesis’ disease model. This breakthrough model of disease finds that modified macrophages, called ProMacs™ may be involved in the pathogenesis of cancers, atherosclerosis and certain neurodegenerative diseases. SLIL intends to develop, alone and with pharmaceutical partners, novel therapeutics and diagnostic assays based on the model. In pursuit of the Sequential Pathogenesis model, the Company also expects to discover new retroviruses associated with human diseases. This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current view of future events and that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors, including but not limited to: availability of adequate funding; outcomes of preclinical development and clinical trials; ability to manufacture; cancellation or delay of licenses; dependence on patents; dependence on current and future collaborative partners; ability to manage growth and attract/retain employees; government regulation and health care reforms; and consolidations and changes within the pharmaceutical industry. SOURCE: SLIL Biomedical Corp. Contact: Marla K. Johnson SLIL Biomedical Corp.
|