Myriad Genetics Presents Studies Characterizing Vascular Disruption
Capabilities of Azixa(TM)
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EpiCept Corporation
(Nasdaq and OMX Stockholm: EPCT) reported today that studies characterizing
a dual mode of action for Azixa(TM), a compound licensed by the Company to
Myriad Genetics, Inc. for the treatment of primary and secondary brain
tumors, were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of
Cancer Research (AACR) in Los Angeles, California.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020513/NYM112LOGO )
The findings presented by Myriad indicate the potential of Azixa to act
as a vascular disrupting agent (VDA), in addition to its previously
demonstrated apoptosis inducing capabilities. Vascular disruption of a
tumor's endothelium, the inner layer of cells lining a blood vessel, leads
to a loss of blood supply to the tumor and subsequent tumor cell death.
Myriad reported that Azixa induced cell death in several primary types
of a tumor's endothelium, including micro-vessel endothelial cells. Myriad
also reported that in human ovarian cancer xenografts, a single dose of
Azixa induced dramatic tumor blood vessel damage and tumor cell death
within 24 hours.
"Myriad's findings are another indication of the substantial clinical
opportunity that Azixa represents," remarked Jack Talley, President and
Chief Executive Officer. "Our agreement with Myriad provides for
significant financial benefits for EpiCept, both in the form of milestone
payments and sublicensing income as well as future royalties in the event
Myriad's development of Azixa continues to progress successfully. In
addition, the progress made by Myriad with Azixa also provides further
validation of the potential of our earlier-stage oncology programs.
Notably, we are continuing with our Phase I trial of EPC2407, a novel,
small molecule vascular disruption agent and apoptosis inducer for the
treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphomas, which was
discovered through the same Anti-cancer Screening Apoptosis Program (ASAP)
responsible for Azixa. EPC2407 is currently dosing its third cohort of
patients in an ongoing Phase I study."
Azixa is part of EpiCept's MX90745 series of apoptosis inducers, which
was licensed to Myriad as part of an exclusive, worldwide development and
commercialization agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Myriad is
responsible for all clinical development and commercialization of compounds
from this series. Myriad is currently conducting two Phase II clinical
trials for Azixa, one in patients with primary brain cancer and the other
in melanoma that has spread to the brain.
About EpiCept's ASAP Technology
Cancerous cells often exhibit unchecked growth caused by the disabling
or absence of the natural process of programmed cell death, which is called
apoptosis. Apoptosis is normally triggered to destroy a cell from within
when it outlives its purpose or it is seriously damaged. One of the most
promising approaches in the fight against cancer is to selectively induce
apoptosis in
cancer cells, thereby checking, and perhaps reversing, the improper
cell growth.
EpiCept's proprietary apoptosis screening technology can efficiently
identify new cancer drug candidates and molecular targets that selectively
induce apoptosis in cancer cells through the use of chemical genetics and
its proprietary live cell high-throughput caspase-3 screening technology.
Chemical genetics is a research approach investigating the effect of small
molecule drug candidates on the cellular activity of a protein, enabling
researchers to determine the protein's function. Using this approach with
its proprietary caspase-3 screening technology, EpiCept researchers can
focus their investigation on the cellular activity of small molecule drug
candidates and their relationship to apoptosis.
This combination of chemical genetics and caspase-3 screening
technology allows EpiCept's researchers to discover and rapidly test the
effect of small molecules on pathways and molecular targets crucial to
apoptosis, and gain insights into their potential as new anticancer agents.
This screening technology is particularly versatile and can be adapted for
almost any cell type that can be cultured, as well as measure caspase
activation inside multiple cell types (e.g., cancer cells, immune cells, or
cell lines from different organ systems or genetically engineered cells).
This allows researchers to find potential drug candidates that are
selective for specific cancer types, which may help identify candidates
that provide increased therapeutic benefit and reduced toxicity.
EpiCept has identified several families of compounds with potentially
novel mechanisms that induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Several compounds
from within these families have progressed to lead drug candidate status
with proven pre-clinical efficacies in tumor models and identified
molecular targets.
About EpiCept Corporation
EpiCept is focused on unmet needs in the treatment of pain and cancer.
EpiCept has a staged portfolio of pharmaceutical product candidates with
several pain therapies in late-stage clinical trials, and a lead oncology
compound (for acute myeloid leukemia, or AML) with demonstrated efficacy in
a Phase III trial; a marketing authorization application for this compound
has been submitted in Europe. EpiCept is based in Tarrytown, N.Y., and its
research and development team in San Diego is pursuing a drug discovery
program focused on novel approaches to apoptosis.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release and any oral statements made with respect to the
information contained in this news release, contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements which
express plans, anticipation, intent, contingency, goals, targets, future
development and are otherwise not statements of historical fact. These
statements are based on EpiCept's current expectations and are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or developments to
be materially different from historical results or from any future results
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may
cause actual results or developments to differ materially include: the risk
that Myriad's development of Azixa will not be successful, the risk that
Azixa will not receive regulatory approval or achieve significant
commercial success, the risk that we will not receive any significant
payments under our agreement with Myriad, the risk that the development of
our other apoptosis product candidates will not be successful, the risk
that our ASAP technology will not yield any successful product candidates,
the risk that Ceplene will not receive regulatory approval or marketing
authorization in the EU, the risk that our other product candidates that
appeared promising in early research and clinical trials do not demonstrate
safety and/or efficacy in larger-scale or later stage clinical trials, the
risk that EpiCept will not obtain approval to market any of its product
candidates, the risks associated with reliance on additional outside
financing to meet its capital requirements, the risks associated with
dependence upon key personnel, the risks associated with reliance on
collaborative partners and others for further clinical trials, development,
manufacturing and commercialization of our product candidates; the cost,
delays and uncertainties associated with our scientific research, product
development, clinical trials and regulatory approval process; our history
of operating losses since our inception; competition; litigation; risks
associated with our ability to maintain our listing on The Nasdaq Capital
Market; risks associated with our ability to have our common stock
readmitted to trading on The Nasdaq Global Market; risks associated with
prior material weaknesses in our internal controls; and risks associated
with our ability to protect our intellectual property. These factors and
other material risks are more fully discussed in EpiCept's periodic
reports, including its reports on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K and other
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are urged to
carefully review and consider the disclosures found in EpiCept's filings
which are available at http://www.sec.gov or at http://www.epicept.com. You are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, any of which
could turn out to be wrong due to inaccurate assumptions, unknown risks or
uncertainties or other risk factors.
*Azixa is a registered trademark of Myriad Genetics, Inc.
EPCT-GEN
SOURCE EpiCept Corporation
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.epicept.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020513/NYM112LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840
CONTACT:
Robert W. Cook, of EpiCept Corporation,
+1-914-606-3572, rcook@epicept.com; Media: Francesca T. DeVellis,
of Feinstein Kean Healthcare for EpiCept, +1-617-577-8110,
francesca.devellis@fkhealth.com; Investors: Kim Sutton Golodetz,
+1-212-838-3777, kgolodetz@lhai.com, or Bruce Voss,
+1-310-691-7100, bvoss@lhai.com, both of Lippert/Heilshorn &
Associates for EpiCept
|
