Advanced Life Sciences Collaborates With University of Illinois at Chicago On
Cancer Research
WOODRIDGE, Ill., July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office has issued an additional patent for the use of betulinic acid, also
known as ALS-357, and its derivatives as a method for treating cancer. The
patent was granted to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) which is
collaborating with Woodridge, Ill.-based Advanced Life Sciences to advance
ALS-357 and its derivatives as anti-cancer agents. The lead ALS-357 compound,
has demonstrated efficacy in animal models to treat and prevent malignant
melanoma, a common, but frequently fatal form of skin cancer.
John Pezzuto, Ph.D., formerly with UIC's College of Pharmacy and now dean
of Purdue University's College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Services and
Tapas K. Das Gupta, M.D., Ph.D., professor and head of Surgical Oncology at
UIC's College of Medicine, are the primary inventors of this technology.
Advanced Life Sciences has acquired the exclusive worldwide license to
commercialize the technology from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
"This new patent coverage expands Advanced Life Science's intellectual
property portfolio in ALS-357 and its derivatives as potential anti-cancer
agents," said Michael Flavin, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Life
Sciences. "Our melanoma research continues on a productive track and the
issuance of this additional patent serves to increase the number of possible
therapeutic options that are available for investigation."
The patent (No. 6,569,842), which applies to ALS-357 and its derivatives,
was granted for compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use in
the treatment of cancers including melanoma. ALS-357 is derived from birch
bark and works by promoting the death of certain cancer cells. It has
demonstrated pre-clinical activity against human melanoma.
Advanced Life Sciences ( http://www.advancedlifesciences.com ) is a privately
held biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and
commercialization of novel drugs in the therapeutic areas of infection,
cancer, and inflammation using its platform in natural products and chemical
proteomics coupled with expertise in drug development.
SOURCE Advanced Life Sciences
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Related links:
http://www.advancedlifesciences.com
CONTACT:
Media, Gail Cowan, +1-773-782-2430, or
Investor, Suseelan Pookote, +1-630-739-6744, both of Advanced
Life Sciences
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