SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwire - April 07, 2009) - ImmuneRegen BioSciences®, a wholly owned subsidiary of IR Biosciences Holdings Inc. (OTCBB: IRBS), today announced it has entered into a collaborating research relationship with Jacob Finkelstein, Ph.D., a professor in the departments of Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology and Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, N.Y., renowned for his investigation into radiation’s effect on the human pulmonary system.
Dr. Finkelstein’s broad experience as a project leader at the University’s Center for Biophysical Assessment and Risk Management Following Irradiation (CBARMFI) is expected to help advance ImmuneRegen’s development of its drug candidate, Homspera®, by conducting research to evaluate the adult stem cell-active compound’s ability to mitigate the effects of otherwise lethal radiation exposure in animals. The CBARMFI is one of eight Centers for Medical Countermeasures Against Radiation (CMCR) funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health.
“Dr. Finkelstein’s collaboration with ImmuneRegen as a member of its scientific advisory board could be the first step in tapping into the broad investigational capabilities of the CMCR network as it relates to Homspera,” said Michael K. Wilhelm, ImmuneRegen’s president and CEO. “We are additionally hopeful of the opportunity to identify additional mechanisms and potential indications for this compound.” The initial ImmuneRegen-CBARMFI relationship will include support of research efforts and co-development funding of a mutually beneficial research strategy.
Dr. Finkelstein’s laboratory studies the mechanisms of pulmonary injury to physiological, toxicological and radiological stimuli and specifically the role of the alveolar epithelium, the cells that line the airways in the lungs. These studies include examination of inflammatory processes and the roles of cytokines in the regulation of cells in the lungs and the immune system. Additionally, investigators at CBARMFI have identified a number of compounds that can mitigate the deleterious effects of radiation and other environmental toxins on pulmonary function.
Of particular interest to both ImmuneRegen and Dr. Finkelstein’s laboratory are the mechanisms by which exposure to sufficient doses of radiation triggers pulmonary fibrosis, a debilitating and potential lethal long-term effect. Dr. Finkelstein’s laboratory has shown the involvement of pulmonary epithelial cells and fibroblasts in post-radiation fibrosis, specifically in the growth and regulation of connective tissues in the lung. These are the same cell types that ImmuneRegen’s Homspera has been shown to affect, as enhanced cell and connective tissue proliferation and appropriate developmental growth signals accelerate wound healing.
Homspera, an analog of the endogenous neurokinin Substance P, has been shown to affect a number of immunological and non-immunological cell types via its receptor-binding activity at the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), and to have hematopoietic stem cell stimulatory activity as well as immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity in a number of model systems.
Dr. Finkelstein has presented his research at numerous international conferences and has been published in peer-reviewed journals, textbooks and technical reports. He has served as a grant-reviewer for a number of prominent associations, including the American Lung Association and the Veteran’s Administration, and serves on the editorial boards of many scientific journals.
His industry-related memberships include the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society (Division of Biological Chemistry) and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, among others.
Dr. Finkelstein holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Carnegie-Mellon University.
About ImmuneRegen BioSciences Inc.
ImmuneRegen BioSciences Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: IRBS), is a development-stage biotechnology company focused on the research, development and licensing of Homspera® and its derivatives. Homspera is an adult stem cell active compound that in study results has been shown to regenerate and strengthen the immune system and enhance wound healing. Viprovex®, a derivative of Homspera, is being developed for potential use against infectious diseases as a stand-alone or combination therapy and as a vaccine adjuvant. To advance its mission, the Scottsdale, Arizona based company has forged numerous study partnerships with industry and academic leaders, including Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, HemoGenix, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute and Virion Systems. For more information, please visit www.immuneregen.com.
Statements about ImmuneRegen’s future expectations, including statements about the potential use and scientific results for ImmuneRegen’s drug candidates, science and technology, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. ImmuneRegen intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. These future events may not occur as and when expected, if at all, and, together with ImmuneRegen’s business, are subject to various risks and uncertainties. ImmuneRegen’s actual results could differ materially from expected results as a result of a number of factors, including the uncertainties inherent in research and development collaborations, pre-clinical and clinical trials and product development programs (including, but not limited to the fact that future results or research and development efforts may prove less encouraging than current results or cause side effects not observed in current pre-clinical trials), the evaluation of potential opportunities, the level of corporate expenditures and monies available for further studies, capital market conditions, and others set forth in ImmuneRegen’s periodic report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2008 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There are no guarantees that any of ImmuneRegen’s proposed products will prove to be commercially successful. ImmuneRegen undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements.
Contact:
John Fermanis
ImmuneRegen BioSciences Inc.
Phone: 480-922-3926
E-mail: Email Contact
