DALLAS, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. provided an update today on its Cobalamin(TM) oral drug delivery product development programs. The proprietary Cobalamin(TM) technology utilizes the body's natural vitamin B12 oral uptake mechanism to facilitate oral absorption of pharmaceuticals by a "Trojan horse" mechanism. Access has focused its Cobalamin product development program on the oral delivery of insulin and human growth hormone, two peptides which currently can only be given by injection. A new Cobalamin-coated insulin-containing nanoparticle formulation delivered orally provided a pharmacological response (lowering of blood glucose levels in an animal model of diabetes) greater than 80% of that achieved by insulin delivered subcutaneously. This represents a substantial oral bioavailability, indicating that this formulation has potential for clinical development and ultimate commercialization. Adaptation of this technology has provided a Cobalamin human growth hormone formulation that has demonstrated good efficacy, represented by more than 25% improvement in weight gain, when given orally in an established animal model. Access continues to move both products towards clinical development, and plans to submit an additional patent application to protect the improvements to the technology.
Cobalamin is Access' proprietary technology based upon the use of vitamin B12 for oral drug delivery of drugs that otherwise have poor oral bioavailability. It also has potential for targeted delivery of drugs to disease sites. Access is developing its Cobalamin technology under multiple collaborative agreements, and is in discussion with other companies regarding the application of the Cobalamin technology to other active drug candidates.
About Access: Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes propriety products for the treatment and supportive care of cancer patients. Access' products include ProLindac(TM), currently in Phase 2 clinical testing of patients with ovarian cancer, and MuGard(TM) for the management of patients with mucositis. The company also has other advanced drug delivery technologies including Cobalamin(TM)-mediated targeted delivery and oral drug delivery, its proprietary nanopolymer delivery technology based on the natural vitamin B12 uptake mechanism; and Thiarabine, a new generation nucleoside analog which has demonstrated both pre-clinical and clinical activity in certain cancers. For additional information on Access Pharmaceuticals, please visit our website at www.accesspharma.com.
CONTACT: Stephen B. Thompson, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of
Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-214-905-5100; or Investor Relations,
Donald C. Weinberger or Alisa Steinberg of Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Assoc.
LLC, +1-212-370-4500
Web site: http://www.accesspharma.com/
