TORONTO, March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Lorus Therapeutics Inc. (“Lorus”) , a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of cancer, today announced publication of scientific data from preclinical studies demonstrating the antitumor activity of its lead small interfering RNA (siRNA) candidate, siRNA-1284.
The article titled “RNA interference targeting the R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase inhibits growth of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo” was published online today in the peer-reviewed journal Anti-Cancer Drugs and will appear in print in the April issue. The paper presents data indicating that siRNA-1284 significantly decreases the expression of the R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase in a range of human tumor cell lines in vitro. Lorus’ research demonstrates that down-regulation of R2 led to a significant decrease in tumor cell growth and subsequent cell cycle inhibition in vitro.
siRNA-1284 also demonstrated potent antitumor activity in vivo in xenograft models of human cancers including renal cell carcinoma, melanoma and colon adenocarcinoma. This article marks Lorus’ first major publication of detailed scientific findings for research in the area of RNA interference and siRNA technology.
“We are pleased with the publication of these data in Anti-Cancer Drugs and see it as further validation of Lorus’ progress in translating RNA interference science into clinically relevant therapeutics,” said Dr. Aiping Young, Lorus’ President and CEO. “Gene silencing by RNA interference is a valuable tool in gene function studies and a novel therapeutic approach to drug development. The results presented in this publication further validate R2 as an important antitumor target.”
About siRNA
siRNA is a novel class of molecules that can decrease cellular target RNA expression through an antisense process known as RNA interference (RNAi). Because of its target specificity, RNAi is increasingly being examined as a potential therapy for a variety of diseases including cancer. From an evolutionary perspective, RNAi helps protect cells from viruses and transposable genetic elements in addition to carrying out more routine cellular tasks essential to development and growth. In mammalian cells siRNAs have been shown to be the most effective tools for RNAi, allowing for the development of clean and easily regulated methods for disruption of gene expression. siRNA technology allows for a range of new applications including target validation for drug discovery and medical therapeutics.
About Lorus
Lorus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of novel therapeutics in cancer. Lorus’ goal is to capitalize on its research, preclinical, clinical and regulatory expertise by developing new drug candidates that can be used, either alone, or in combination with other drugs, to successfully manage cancer. Through its own discovery efforts and an acquisition and in-licensing program, Lorus is building a portfolio of promising anticancer drugs. Lorus has several product candidates in multiple Phase II clinical trials and has completed one Phase II and one Phase III clinical trial. Lorus Therapeutics Inc. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LOR, and on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol LRP.
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Lorus Therapeutics Inc.
CONTACT: Lorus Therapeutics Inc., Dr. Saeid Babaei, (416) 798-1200 ext.490, ir@lorusthera.com