DALLAS, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(OTC Bulletin Board: ACCP) announced today that results of studies of the
mechanism of ProLindac's anticancer activity will be presented today at the
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2007 annual meeting in Los
Angeles at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The two poster presentations
describe preclinical studies performed by Access collaborators at two
prominent institutes in France.
"We are delighted to have two ProLindac poster presentations at one of
the most prestigious scientific conferences in cancer," stated David P.
Nowotnik, Access' Senior Vice President, Research and Development. "The
presentations reaffirm ProLindac's potential to become a leading cancer
treatment. The posters focus on how ProLindac can be delivered in much
higher doses than current therapies and shows its potential for superior
efficacy, given alone as well as in combination with other anticancer
compounds. Access has successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical study
indicating at least five times more platinum could be administered to
patients with ProLindac than oxaliplatin before the onset of toxicity. We
are currently studying ProLindac in a Phase 2 monotherapy trial, treating
patients with relapsed ovarian cancer."
The first poster is entitled "Antiproliferative effects of ProLindac, a
novel DACH-platinum linked polymer-compound, compared to oxaliplatin and
cisplatin in a panel of human cancer cell lines." This poster describes
studies which examine ProLindac's cytotoxic effects either as single agent
or in combination with other cytotoxics, and molecular mechanisms of action
of ProLindac in comparison to oxaliplatin and cisplatin in a panel of human
cancer cell lines. Results of the study indicated ProLindac and oxaliplatin
showed similar cytotoxicity profiles when used in combination with either
Gemcitabine, Docetaxel, 5-FU or SN38 (a camptothecin analog). This provides
an early indication that ProLindac can effectively substitute for
oxaliplatin in combination therapies. While this study shows that ProLindac
and oxaliplatin have similar cytotoxicities on an equimolar basis, in vivo
studies reported elsewhere demonstrate that much higher doses of ProLindac
can be administered compared to oxaliplatin. Therefore, based on the data
presented here, ProLindac has potential for superior efficacy in vivo. This
work was conducted primarily at the Department of Medical Oncology,
Hospital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
The second poster is entitled "Preclinical study of the transport and
intracellular distribution of ProLindac, a novel
diaminocyclohexane-platinum (DACH-Pt) tumor-targeting drug delivery
system." This poster describes studies which examine the transportation and
distribution of ProLindac in human cancer cell lines and the rate of
formation of -platinum-DNA-adducts. It is the formation of such adducts
which appears to be a major contributor to the anticancer activity of
platinum drugs. High levels of these adducts are formed when tumor cells
are exposed to ProLindac. Incubation of tumor cells with ProLindac resulted
in an increase in G2/M phase and apoptosis in human cancer cell lines. Both
of these effects are associated with antitumor activity. Intracellular
concentrations of platinum in HCT-116 tumor cells were about 10-fold
greater when the incubating medium pH was lowered from 7.0 to 5.4.
Previously Access had shown a faster release of platinum as pH is lowered
in a simple aqueous system. This study confirms that tumor cell uptake of
platinum from ProLindac is enhanced as pH is lowered; lowered pH is
typically seen in hypoxic tumors. This work was conducted primarily at the
Rene Huguenin Cancer Center, Saint-Cloud, France.
About ProLindac(TM)
Access' lead compound, ProLindac(TM), is a novel DACH platinum prodrug
which has been shown to be active in a wide variety of solid tumors in both
preclinical models and in human trials. The Company believes that
ProLindac's unique molecular design potentially could eliminate some of the
toxic neurological side effects seen in currently marketed DACH platinums.
The Company is currently enrolling patients in two Phase II clinical
trials, one in ovarian cancer and one in head and neck cancer, and plans to
initiate one or more additional Phase II trials, including one in
colorectal cancer in 2007.
About Access
Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging biopharmaceutical company
that develops and commercializes propriety products for the treatment and
supportive care of cancer patients. Access' products include ProLindac(TM),
currently in Phase II clinical testing of patients with ovarian cancer and
MuGard(TM) for the management of patients with mucositis. The Company also
has other advanced drug delivery technologies including
Cobalamin(TM)-mediated targeted delivery and oral drug delivery. For
additional information on Access Pharmaceuticals, please visit our website
at http://www.accesspharma.com .
This press release contains certain statements that are forward-looking
within the meaning of Section 27a of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements
relating to the value of our products in the market, our ability to achieve
clinical and commercial success and our ability to successfully develop
marketed products. These statements are subject to numerous risks,
including but not limited to the risks detailed in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2006 and other
reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.accesspharma.com
CONTACT:
Stephen B. Thompson, Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
+1-214-905-5100; or investor relations, Donald C. Weinberger, or
media, Alisa Steinberg, both of Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Assoc.
LLC, +1-212-370-4500; or Andrew Hellman of CEOcast, Inc.,
+1-212-732-4300, all for Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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