WESTMINSTER, Colo., June 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allos
Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTH) today announced the presentation of
results from a pre- clinical study designed to assess the effects of
EFAPROXYN(TM) (efaproxiral) on tumor oxygenation and hypoxia-inducible
factor 1 (HIF-1-alpha) gene expression in a human breast cancer xenograft.
Michael E. Saunders, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development of Allos
Therapeutics presented the findings in a poster presentation today at the
2006 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
In this study, investigators injected human breast cancer cells into
mice. Following tumor development, animals were assigned to one of three
treatment groups: control, supplemental oxygen, or efaproxiral (300 mg/m2)
plus supplemental oxygen. Special tissue staining assays were utilized to
evaluate the effect of these treatments on tumor hypoxia and HIF-1-alpha, a
transcription factor that is widely believed to play a central role in the
regulation of tumor metabolism, blood vessel formation, and growth. Results
of the analysis indicated that animals treated with efaproxiral plus
supplemental oxygen showed a statistically significant reduction in tumor
hypoxia and efaproxiral-mediated down-regulation of HIF-1-alpha expression
when compared to both the control and supplemental oxygen treatment groups.
"These findings are interesting because up to this point, the primary
focus of clinical investigations with efaproxiral has been related to its
capacity to enhance oxygen delivery into solid tumors and sensitize tumors
to radiotherapy," said Brian Kavanagh, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor
and Vice-Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado
Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the study's principal investigator. "Here
we not only confirm efaproxiral's ability to reduce tumor hypoxia but also
take a first step toward looking at the key molecular signaling responses
that occur as a consequence of the extra oxygen delivery."
About EFAPROXYN
EFAPROXYN is the first synthetic small molecule designed to sensitize
hypoxic, or oxygen-deprived, areas of tumors during radiation therapy by
facilitating the release of oxygen from hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying
protein contained within red blood cells, and increasing the level of
oxygen in tumors. The presence of oxygen in tumors is an essential element
for the effectiveness of radiation therapy. By increasing tumor
oxygenation, the Company believes that EFAPROXYN has the potential to
enhance the efficacy of standard radiation therapy.
About Allos Therapeutics, Inc.
Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTH) is a biopharmaceutical company
focused on developing and commercializing innovative small molecule
therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. The Company's lead product
candidate, EFAPROXYN, is a synthetic small molecule designed to sensitize
hypoxic, or oxygen-deprived, tumor tissue during radiation therapy.
EFAPROXYN is currently being evaluated as an adjunct to whole brain
radiation therapy in a pivotal Phase 3 trial in women with brain metastases
originating from breast cancer. The Company's other product candidates are:
PDX (pralatrexate), a small molecule chemotherapeutic agent (DHFR
inhibitor) currently under investigation as both a single agent and in
combination therapy regimens in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; and RH1, a small molecule chemotherapeutic
agent bioactivated by the enzyme DT-diaphorase currently under evaluation
in patients with advanced solid tumors. For more information, visit the
Company's web site at http://www.allos.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements
relating to the potential safety and efficacy of efaproxiral; the potential
for new avenues of clinical development for efaproxiral to emerge, and
other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. In
some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such
as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," anticipates,"
"believes," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "potential," "continue,"
and other similar terminology or the negative of these terms, but their
absence does not mean that a particular statement is not forward-looking.
Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements.
These risks and uncertainties include, among others: that pre-clinical
trial designs and results may not be predictive of future clinical trial
designs or results, and that new avenues of clinical development for
efaproxiral may not emerge or we may lack the financial or other resources
necessary to pursue such opportunities. Additional information concerning
these and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially
from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements is contained in
the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2005 and in the Company's other periodic
reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All
forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to
the Company on the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to
revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date of this presentation, except as required by
law.
Note: EFAPROXYN(TM) and the Allos logo are trademarks of Allos
Therapeutics, Inc.
SOURCE Allos Therapeutics, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.allos.com
CONTACT:
Jennifer Neiman, Manager, Corporate
Communications of Allos Therapeutics, Inc., +1-720-540-5227,
jneiman@allos.com
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