GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
announced today that it has entered into a broad collaboration with Li Mao, MD
of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. The
collaboration will further explore the biology of human aspartyl (asparaginyl)
Beta-hydroxylase (HAAH) regulation and expression in carcinomas of the lung.
The utility of HAAH detection and quantitation for diagnosis and prognosis of
this disease will be determined, and the collaboration will also explore the
efficacy of compounds aimed at inhibiting HAAH expression or activity as
potential therapeutic agents. Panacea has an exclusive, worldwide license from
Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University for all therapeutic and diagnostic uses
of HAAH and related pathways.
"We are delighted to be working with Dr. Mao and his team to further the
understanding of HAAH in carcinomas of the lung and to determine HAAH's
utility in the management of this disease," stated Kasra Ghanbari, President
of the Company.
HAAH is a membrane-associated enzyme that is over-expressed by many
malignant cells and is associated with proliferation, motility, and
invasiveness of cancer cells. HAAH over-expression has been observed by
immunohistochemical staining of primary tumor tissue in more than twenty tumor
types tested to date, including cancers of the pancreas, breast, ovary, liver,
colon, prostate, lung, brain, and bile duct. HAAH over-expression has been
detected in 99% of tumor specimens (greater than 1000) tested to date and has
not been detected in normal or adjacent non-affected tissue. Preclinical
studies have indicated that over-expression of HAAH is sufficient to induce
cellular transformation, to increase cell motility and invasiveness, and to
establish tumor formation in animals. Even partial inhibition of HAAH
expression has been shown to have a beneficial effect on tumor cells, causing
them to revert to a more normal phenotype as measured by the inhibition of
growth, motility, and invasiveness.
Recently, soluble HAAH was detected in archived sera from cancer patients
and up-regulation of the gene that encodes HAAH (ASPH) was observed in a
number of malignancies. Among the malignancies that most consistently exhibit
over-expression of the HAAH protein or up-regulation of the ASPH gene are
carcinomas of the lung.
M.D. Anderson will identify archived serum and/or tissue specimens from
patients with pathologically confirmed carcinoma of the lung, patients at high
risk for developing carcinoma of the lung, and patients at low risk for
developing carcinoma of the lung. In addition, M.D. Anderson will identify
archived serum and/or tissue specimens from lung cancer patients who were
treated at M.D. Anderson and for whom data concerning clinical outcome or
response to therapy are available.
"We are excited to conduct this collaboration with Panacea, as HAAH
represents a novel and intriguing approach to effect both the diagnosis and
course of lung carcinomas," stated Dr. Mao. "We intend to expand the
collaboration to explore HAAH's role in head and neck cancers."
Dr. Mao is currently Professor of Medicine and Director of the Molecular
Biology Laboratory in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical
Oncology at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
He is also Faculty Member, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The
University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center as well as Professor, Cancer
Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Dr. Mao was formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at
Cangen International, Inc.
He has served in a consulting capacity for such groups as H. Lee Moffitt
Cancer Center, Association for International Cancer Research in the U.K.,
International Society for Preventative Oncology, Department of Veteran
Affairs, and Bayer Diagnostics.
Dr. Mao is Associate Editor of Clinical Cancer Research and member of the
Editorial Academy of International Journal of Oncology. He is a journal
reviewer for many outstanding publications including Cancer Research, Clinical
Chemistry, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Medicine, New England
Journal of Medicine, British Journal of Cancer, American Journal of Pathology,
Oncogene, and Science.
Dr. Mao received his Medical Degree from Nanjing Medical University in
Nanjing, China. He was Postdoctoral Fellow, Head and Neck Cancer Research
Division, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, at Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to that, he was
Visiting Surgeon, Department of Surgery and Endocrine Research Unit, at the
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
About Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging biopharmaceutical company
focused on utilizing functional genomics and proteomics to develop
therapeutics and diagnostics for diseases with substantial unmet clinical
need. The Company's product development focus is on novel proteins and
biochemical pathways related to cellular regulation and cell cycle
abnormalities in oncology as well as both acute and chronic neurodegenerative
conditions such as hypoxia-induced cognitive impairment, Parkinson's disease,
and Alzheimer's disease.
More information is available at http://www.PanaceaPharma.com.
Except for historical information presented in this press release, matters
discussed herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of
management only as of the date of this release and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by
such statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are
not limited to, uncertainties related to our access to capital, the progress,
costs, and results of any clinical trials undertaken by us, progress of our
research and development projects, and uncertainties related to whether our
product candidates would ultimately achieve commercial success. We do not
undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise unless
required by law.
Contact:
Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Kasra Ghanbari, President
Phone 240-243-8000 x108; FAX 240-465-0450
Kasra@PanaceaPharma.com
SOURCE Panacea Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.panaceapharma.com
CONTACT:
Kasra Ghanbari, President of Panacea
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-240-243-8000 ext. 108, fax:
+1-240-465-0450, Kasra@PanaceaPharma.com
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