Tarix Pharmaceuticals' Peptide Technology Stimulates Revascularization Following Ischemia

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tarix Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, peptide-based therapies to treat a range of critical medical conditions, today announced it has uncovered a new role for its therapeutic peptides in stimulating revascularization following ischemia.

In models of ischemic stroke and peripheral vascular disease, treatment with either the Company's natural peptide, TXA127, or its cyclic analog, PanCyte, resulted in increased blood flow and histologic evidence of vasculogenesis (new blood vessel formation).

Rick Franklin, CEO of Tarix Pharmaceuticals, stated, "We explored the therapeutic value of our peptides following ischemia, due to their stimulatory effect on endothelial progenitor cells, which are increased naturally during ischemia and play an important role in vascular regeneration. We were very pleased, and somewhat surprised, at the efficacy seen in these models in which we saw a return to near-normal blood flow that correlated with histologic evidence of new vessel formation. In addition, in multiple models of ischemic stroke recovery, there was significant improvement in a variety of clinically relevant neurologic measurements."

Franklin continued, "Given this compelling data, we are now planning to initiate clinical trials in ischemic stroke and peripheral vascular disease in 2013."

The transient middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model involved fifteen animals per treatment group, and was randomized and blinded. There were significant improvements in neurologic score, forelimb placement, stepping test and body swing test, all of which are standard measurements of functional response in stroke. Treatment was begun twenty-four hours after the stroke, and positive results were detectable within two weeks, and improvement continued throughout the seven-week study. In addition, there was a substantial increase in cerebral blood flow and histologic evidence of new blood vessel formation.

Separately, in a mouse model of unilateral hindlimb ischemia, ischemic recovery was compared between TXA127 or PanCyte treatment versus control animals. Blood flow in treated animals improved significantly faster toward normal, with percent blood flow more than double that of control animals by day 49 (~85% vs ~40%). Histologic examination again showed a significant increase in the number of functional blood vessels amongst treated animals compared to controls.

About Tarix Pharmaceuticals
Tarix Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, peptide-based therapies to treat a range of critical medical conditions. Tarix' proprietary technology platform consists of TXA127, a pharmaceutical formulation of the naturally occurring peptide, Angiotensin (1-7), and PanCyte, a cyclic analogue of TXA127 with an extended half-life. TXA127 and PanCyte have shown striking effects in models of ischemic stroke and peripheral vascular disease through improvement in endothelial progenitor cell number and function. The peptides have also been effective in models of diabetes. Tarix intends to initiate clinical trials in these indications during 2013, adding to its clinical pipeline that includes multiple programs in hematopoiesis.

SOURCE Tarix Pharmaceuticals