CHICAGO, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Endorex Corporation (Amex: DOR) announced
today that two new Phase II studies to evaluate the effect of its cancer drug,
Perillyl alcohol (POH), for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer and
pancreatic cancer have been initiated and patient enrollment has commenced.
These two trials are being sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
independently of Endorex.
POH is a member of a new class of anti-cancer agents, monoterpenes, which
have shown anti-tumor activity against a wide range of tumor types in
preclinical studies at non-toxic dose levels. Three other NCI-sponsored Phase
II trials for advanced carcinomas of breast, prostate and ovarian cancer were
initiated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison last year and are ongoing.
The colorectal cancer trial is being conducted at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison's Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information contact
the Center's CANCER CONNECT at 1-800-622-8922 or 608-262-5223. Colorectal
cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. population as a
whole -- second among men and third in women -- according to the NCI
statistics. Further, the NCI estimates that 56,000 colorectal cancer deaths
occur annually as well as 149,000 new areas of colorectal cancer, representing
15 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the U.S.
In one of the key, NCI-sponsored Phase I trials performed at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison, there was initial evidence of POH efficacy in
metastic colorectal cancer where one patient, out of two colorectal cancer
patients, of the 15 total evaluable patients in this safety trial was free of
tumor. These data were presented at the 1998 Annual Meeting of the American
Society of Clinical Oncology ("Phase I Trial of Perillyl alcohol Administered
Four Times a Day," G. Ripple, M. Gould, R. Arzoomaniian, D. Alberti, et al;
May 1998). Another three patients in this study had their advanced stage
disease (two prostate cancer patients and one patient with adenocystic
carcinoma of the salivary gland) stabilized.
The pancreatic cancer trial is being conducted at Indiana University.
Pancreatic cancer ranks 11th in incidence of all cancers in the U.S., and is
the 5th most common cause of cancer death, according to NCI statistics.
"We are encouraged by the early clinical results with POH and hope to be
able to demonstrate efficacy against these major cancers in the five NCI-
sponsored trials," stated Michael S. Rosen, President/CEO of Endorex and its
oncology subsidiary, Wisconsin Genetics, Inc. (WGI). "The Company is planning
additional company-sponsored Phase II trials in other cancer indications
during 1999, and is developing other monoterpene-based cancer compounds at the
University of Wisconsin."
WGI was founded by Endorex to develop new therapies and diagnostics for
the prevention and treatment of cancer. Patents covering the use of Perillyl
alcohol in the treatment of cancer have been licensed for development by WGI,
from Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). WARF, a non-profit
organization, is the office designated to receive and license new discoveries
made by the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. The funds received
through WARF-directed license agreements help to support basic research at the
UW-Madison. In 1998, WGI signed an agreement with the University of
Wisconsin's McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research to sponsor the
identification and development of additional monoterpene analogues as cancer
drugs, and this research is ongoing.
Endorex Corporation is a drug delivery and cancer products company. The
Company licensed its Orasome(TM) technology from the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, which it is developing to orally deliver vaccines, proteins and
peptides. Endorex formed two joint ventures with Elan Corporation, plc, to
develop novel delivery systems. Endorex is focusing on two innovative
directions in cancer therapy: immunotherapy and natural chemotherapy. Two
Endorex drugs have entered into multiple Phase II clinical trials:
ImmTher(R), an immunomodulator, and Perillyl alcohol, a new monoterpene.
The statements made in this press release contain certain forward-looking
statements, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, that involve a number of known and unknown risks and
uncertainties. Such statements are only predictions and actual events or
results in future periods may differ materially from what is currently
anticipated. In particular, no assurance can be given that any of the Phase
II trials will show suitable efficacy or reflect positive indications from
Phase I trials, the Company will initiate additional clinical trials or that
such trials will be successful, or that any of the company's cancer drug
candidates will receive regulatory approval or become commercially successful.
In addition to the matters described in this press release, risk factors as
described from time to time in Endorex's filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its most recent reports on
Form 10-QSB and Form 10-KSB, may affect the results achieved by Endorex. The
Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.
SOURCE Endorex Corporation
back to top
CONTACT: Michael Rosen, President & CEO of Endorex Corp., 847-573-8990, or e-mail, mrosen@endorex.com; or Investor Information, Kathy Brunson, 312-640-6696, General Information, Bill Murphy, 312-640-6764, or Media Information, Darcy Bretz, 312-640-6756, all of The Financial Relations Board
NOTE TO EDITORS: To receive the latest information about Endorex Corporation via fax, at no cost, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO, code 'DOR'
|