EDMONTON, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Isotechnika Inc. announced today that the Company enrolled its first patient in a North American Phase IIb kidney transplant trial for its lead immunosuppressive drug, ISA247, on January 4, 2006.
The trial will be performed at thirty-four centers across North America, including twenty-nine centers in the United States and five centers in Canada. A total of 332 de novo (newly transplanted) kidney transplant patients will be enrolled in this trial. Patients will be placed into one of four separate treatment groups; three different dose groups of ISA247 (0.4 mg/kg, 0.6 mg/kg, and 0.8 mg/kg twice daily) compared with the fourth group, a tacrolimus (0.05 mg/kg twice daily) control arm. Patients in all four treatment groups will have their doses adjusted in order to achieve pre-defined blood levels of either ISA247 or tacrolimus. All patients will receive oral treatment of drug (ISA247 or tacrolimus) over a six month period along with other standard immunosuppressive therapies used following transplantation.
The primary endpoint of the trial is defined as non-inferiority in biopsy proven acute rejection (BPAR) episodes in patients receiving ISA247 for six months as compared to the tacrolimus control. Additionally, kidney function and other laboratory parameters such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and new onset diabetes mellitus will be monitored for the duration of the trial. The overall goal of the trial is to find the most appropriate dose that will result in efficacy (lack of rejection) with minimal side effects that are typically seen with other calcineurin inhibitors such as cyclosporine and tacrolimus.
“Enrolling our first patient in a timely manner speaks to our ongoing commitment to development timelines,” stated Dr. Randall Yatscoff, Isotechnika’s President & CEO. “We are excited to move ISA247 forward in the area of transplantation as well as for the treatment of psoriasis. We look forward to providing future progress reports to the investment and scientific communities in both of these areas.”
About Isotechnika
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Isotechnika Inc. is an international biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Drawing upon its expertise in medicinal chemistry and immunology, the Company is focused on the discovery and development of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics that are safer than currently available treatments. Its entrepreneurial management and world-class team of scientists are building a pipeline of immunosuppressive drug candidates for treatment of autoimmune diseases and for use in the prevention of organ rejection in transplantation. Isotechnika looks to become the leader in development of immunosuppressant therapies.
Isotechnika’s lead compound, ISA247 is an immunosuppressant currently in an extension protocol of a Canadian Phase III human clinical trial for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. In addition, ISA247 has successfully completed a Phase IIa trial for kidney transplantation. The Company also has an additional immunosuppressive compound in its drug pipeline, TAFA93 which is in Phase I.
Isotechnika Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ISA. More information on Isotechnika can be found at www.isotechnika.com.
Partnerships ------------
Isotechnika Inc. has a collaboration agreement with Hoffman La Roche which licensed the worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Isotechnika’s novel molecule ISA247 for all transplant indications.
In addition, the Company has an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Atrium Medical Corporation for the use of ISA247 and TAFA93 specifically with drug eluting devices for the non-systemic treatment of vascular, cardiovascular, target vessel and tissue disorders.
Forward-Looking Statements
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This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements, including the Company’s belief as to the potential of its products, the Company’s expectations regarding the issuance of additional patents and the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the ability to economically manufacture its products, the potential of its products, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company’s ability to successfully commercialize its products, the ability of the Company to defend its patents from infringement by third parties, and the risk that the Company’s patents may be subsequently shown to be invalid or infringe the patents of others. Investors should consult the Company’s quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward- looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Isotechnika Inc.
CONTACT: Dr. Randall Yatscoff, President & CEO, Isotechnika Inc., Phone:(780) 487-1600 Ext. 246, Fax: (780) 484-4105, Email:ryatscoff@isotechnika.com; Stephanie Gillis-Paulgaard, Director, CorporateCommunications, Isotechnika Inc., Phone: (780) 909-4661, Fax: (780)484-4105, E-mail: sgillis-paulgaard@isotechnika.com; Archived images onthis organization are searchable through CNW Photo Archive website athttp://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of themedia. To request a free copy of this organization’s annual report, pleasego to http://www.newswire.ca and click on Tools for Investors.
