ANDOVER, N.H., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing recombinant human enzymes, today announced the presentation of new findings for HTI-101, its second hyaluronidase enzyme candidate, at the 2006 Gordon Research Conference on Proteoglycans.
The new study examined mice bearing a targeted genetic deletion or "knockout" of the mouse equivalent to the human gene encoding HTI-101. Knockout mice with one or both normal copies of the gene inactivated showed either significantly reduced or absent levels of enzyme in the blood, respectively. When challenged with lung cancer, mice lacking the enzyme died up to 40% faster than those with two normal copies and, interestingly, mice lacking just one normal copy of the enzyme faired worse than normal mice, but better than those with no enzyme at all.
A commonly utilized pre-clinical cancer protocol of restoring blood levels of the enzyme by using an adenovirus encoding the mouse form of the enzyme was then performed. The results showed that increased blood levels of the HTI-101 enzyme were able to rescue animals with lung cancer and prolong their survival compared to those given control virus.
"These findings are certainly intriguing, and warrant further investigation into the underlying mechanism of action of the enzyme in lung cancer, and could also lead to future studies with a recombinant human form," said Gregory Frost, PhD, Halozyme's Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. "While the relevance of these findings to the human disease is not clear at this point, the fact that some very aggressive types of human lung cancers also silence this gene suggests there might be a link."
Earlier this year, Halozyme announced that the US Patent Trademark Office has given a notice of allowance to both natural and recombinant forms of HTI-101. Technology encoding the recombinant human form of the enzyme is licensed exclusively to Halozyme Therapeutics from the University of California, San Francisco.
About Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.
Halozyme is a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing recombinant human enzymes for the drug delivery, palliative care, oncology, and infertility markets. The company's portfolio of products is based on intellectual property covering the family of human enzymes known as hyaluronidases. Halozyme's recombinant human enzymes may replace current animal slaughterhouse-derived extracts that carry potential risks of animal pathogen transmission and immunogenicity. The company has received FDA approval for two products: Cumulase(R), the first and only recombinant human hyaluronidase for cumulus removal in the IVF process; and Hylenex for use as an adjuvant to increase the absorption and dispersion of other injected drugs. The versatility of the first enzyme, rHuPH20, enables Halozyme to develop the product as a medical device, drug enhancement agent, and therapeutic drug. The second enzyme, HTI-101, has potential applications in the field of oncology.
Safe Harbor Statement
In addition to historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, statements concerning pre-clinical data, the potential effectiveness of products under development, the potential application to additional therapeutic areas, and the ability to develop and commercialize recombinant human enzymes) that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are also identified through use of the words "believe," "enable," "may," "will," "could," "intends," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "predict," "probable," "potential," "possible," "should," "continue," and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including regulatory approval requirements and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in the company's reports on Forms 10-KSB, 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.CONTACT: David A. Ramsay, Chief Financial Officer of Halozyme,+1-858-794-8889, dramsay@halozyme.com; or Investor Relations, ZacharyBryant of Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, +1-310-691-7100,zbryant@lhai.com, for Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.; or Media, Kathy Sweeney,ext. 230, kwitz@mentus.com, or Joleen Schultz, ext. 215,jschultz@mentus.com, both of Mentus, +1-858-455-5500, for HalozymeTherapeutics, Inc.
Web site: http://www.halozyme.com//
