KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today acceptance of an abstract for presentation at Perspectives in Melanoma X and The Third Annual International Melanoma Research Congress, September 14-16, 2006, in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. The abstract, titled “Rose Bengal Induces Dual Modes of Cell Death in Melanoma Cells and has Clinical Activity Against Melanoma,” was submitted by Professor Peter Hersey, M.D., one of the Company’s principal investigators for its Phase 1 clinical trial of PV-10 (also known as Provecta(TM)) for ablation of metastatic melanoma, an aggressive and often fatal form of skin cancer. The peer-reviewed abstract is expected to be published in Melanoma Research (http://www.melanomaresearch.com) after the conference.
In the abstract Professor Hersey shows that the active component of PV-10 is effective against melanoma cell lines that are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation, while leaving normal cells unharmed. This selectivity appears to result from a unique mechanism of action, and is supported by clinical results illustrating the potential of PV-10 to selectively ablate treated lesions and yield local control of untreated metastases.
“We have seen effective results in vitro and in the clinic,” noted Professor Hersey. “This work provides important insight into the mechanism of PV-10 and its role in management of melanoma.”
PV-10 is an agent that is retained in tumor tissue while leaving normal tissue unharmed, thereby killing the tumor and sparing healthy tissue. Pre-clinical animal studies have shown broad-spectrum applicability of the agent for selective ablation of a number of focal cancers, including melanoma, breast carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
The Phase 1 study consists of 20 subjects, and is being conducted at two of the world’s leading melanoma treatment and research centers, the Sydney Melanoma Unit and the Newcastle
Melanoma Unit, both located in New South Wales, Australia, a country where the incidence of melanoma is more than twice that of the United States. Each subject enrolled in the study has one or more tumors treated with a single injection of PV-10 and the local response to the treatment is then observed for a period of 12 to 24 weeks. Any effects on nearby untreated tumors (called the bystander effect) are also monitored. Details of the study design are available at http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov (study PV-10-MM-01).
“The work of Professor Hersey continues to make us very optimistic about the prospects for PV-10 in ablation of metastatic melanoma,” noted Provectus CEO Craig Dees, PhD. “We have expected this type of third-party validation, and now we are starting to hear from others what we have been saying ourselves.”
About Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company actively engaged in the design, development, and marketing of pharmaceutical technologies for the treatment of breast cancer, liver cancer, and metastatic melanoma. In addition, Provectus is preparing to begin Phase 2 clinical studies for the Company’s topical agent Xantryl(TM), a treatment for psoriasis.
The Company’s offices and laboratory are located at 7327 Oak Ridge Highway, Suite A, Knoxville, TN 37931; telephone: 865 769 4011. For more information, contact the Company at info@pvct.com or visit the corporate Web site: http://www.pvct.com.
This release and others statements issued or made from time to time by the company or its representatives contain comments that may constitute forward- looking statements. Those include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the company and members of its management teams, as well as the assumptions on which the statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements.
Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CONTACT: Investors, Matt Clawson of Allen & Caron Inc, +1-949-474-4300,matt@allencaron.com, for Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; or PeterCulpepper of Provectus Pharmaceuticals Inc., +1-865-769-4011,culpepper@pvct.com
