AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. today reported that in preclinical studies its investigational cancer therapy INGN 241 reduced tumor growth and increased tumor cell death in various breast cancer treatment regimens. These data appear in the current issue of the journal Cancer Gene Therapy and also were described in three presentations at the 2005 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Introgen researchers and their collaborators at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center conducted the studies.
The article in Cancer Gene Therapy describes the anti-cancer activity of mda-7, the active component of INGN 241, in nine breast cancer tumors. Studies evaluated INGN 241 as a single agent; in combination with radiation therapy; with chemotherapy (Taxotere or Adriamycin); with the hormone inhibitor, Tamoxifen; and with Herceptin, a biologic cancer therapy. In all settings, INGN 241 reduced cell growth and increased programmed tumor cell death (apoptosis). This effect was enhanced when combined with drugs currently used to treat breast cancer. In animal models of breast cancer, treatment with INGN 241 alone or in combination with radiation therapy resulted in significant decreases in tumor growth.
“These results suggest that the combined use of INGN 241 and current breast cancer drugs increases tumor cell death compared to standard treatments alone without increasing the toxicities associated with conventional therapy,” said Kerstin Menander, Ph.D., M.D., Introgen’s vice president, Clinical Research and Development. “Additionally, the data show that INGN 241 alone or with radiation therapy reduces tumor growth in animal models, supporting the broad potential utility of INGN 241 in the treatment of breast cancer.”
Additional data from preclinical studies of INGN 241 as a single therapy, in combination with chemotherapy and in combination with Herceptin were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (Abstracts 2087, 4085 and 6105, respectively). These data show enhanced activity of chemotherapy or Herceptin when combined with INGN 241 and are consistent with the results in the Cancer Gene Therapy publication.
About INGN 241
The mda-7 gene was discovered by the laboratory of Dr. Paul B. Fisher, professor of clinical pathology at Columbia University. Introgen holds an exclusive worldwide license for all gene therapy applications from the Corixa Corporation. INGN 241 is an investigational cancer therapy currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in patients with metastatic melanoma.
About Introgen
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of targeted molecular therapies for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Introgen is developing molecular therapeutics, immunotherapies, vaccines and nano-particle tumor suppressor therapies to treat a wide range of cancers using tumor suppressors, cytokines and genes. Introgen maintains integrated research, development, manufacturing, clinical and regulatory departments and operates multiple manufacturing facilities including a commercial scale cGMP manufacturing facility.
Introgen holds a licensing agreement with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center to commercialize products based on licensed technologies, and has the option to license future technologies under sponsored research agreements. The University of Texas Board of Regents owns stock in Introgen. These arrangements are managed in accordance with M. D. Anderson’s conflict of interest policies.
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical may be “forward-looking” statements, including those relating to Introgen’s future success with its clinical development program for treatment of cancer or other diseases and INGN 241 in the treatment of breast cancer. The actual results may differ from those described in this release due to risks and uncertainties that exist in Introgen’s operations and business environment, including Introgen’s stage of product development and the limited experience in the development of gene-based drugs in general, dependence upon proprietary technology and the current competitive environment, history of operating losses and accumulated deficits, reliance on collaborative relationships, and uncertainties related to clinical trials, the safety and efficacy of Introgen’s product candidates, the ability to obtain the appropriate regulatory approvals, Introgen’s patent protection and market acceptance, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in Introgen’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its filings on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Introgen undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements that reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.
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Contact: Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. C. Channing Burke (512) 708 9310 Ext. 322 Email: c.burke@introgen.com
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc.
CONTACT: C. Channing Burke of Introgen Therapeutics, Inc.,+1-512-708-9310, Ext. 322, or c.burke@introgen.com