CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Xanthus Life Sciences, Inc. today announced it has been issued U.S. Patent No. 6,989,390 covering the use of Xanthus’ cancer drug, Xanafide(TM), a new salt form of amonafide (a topoisomerase 2 inhibitor) for the treatment of a broad range of cancers, including breast, colon, lung, prostate and leukemia.
Xanthus recently initiated a multi-center Phase 2 study in patients with secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) based on data from a Phase 1 study, which showed encouraging activity and an acceptable safety profile. Secondary AML refers to those patients who have developed AML based on an antecedent condition, either myelodysplastic syndrome or prior regimens of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and usually represents those with the poorest prognosis. Currently there are no drugs specifically approved for the treatment of secondary AML.
About Xanafide(TM)
Xanafide(TM) (amonafide malate) is an ATP-independent topoisomerase 2 inhibitor. In a Phase 1 study, amonafide was given together with a continuous infusion of ara-C (standard in combination therapy used to treat AML) in patients with poor-prognosis AML and demonstrated a clinical response rate of 46% (12/26), with 38% (10/26) achieving complete remission and two patients achieving near-complete remission. The median duration of remission was five months, with two patients remaining disease-free for over two years and over five years following post-remission therapy. Results of this Phase 1 study were presented at the 2005 ASCO annual meeting.
About Xanthus Life Sciences, Inc.
Xanthus Life Sciences, Inc. is developing a portfolio of novel, clinical- stage, small-molecule oncology drugs through a management team whose accomplished track record encompasses all aspects of drug development, from discovery through regulatory approval and commercialization. The Company is applying its expertise both to advance its current pipeline and expand it into indications of unmet medical need beyond oncology.
Xanthus is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an additional facility in Montreal, Quebec. More information is available at http://www.xanthus.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Xanthus that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words, “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “estimates,” “intends,” “should,” “could,” “will,” “may,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Xanthus’ actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including risks as to whether results obtained in early clinical studies or in preclinical studies such as the studies referred to above will be indicative of results obtained in future clinical trials or warrant additional trials; whether products based on Xanthus’ technology will advance through the clinical trial process and receive approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether the company will have the cash resources to develop and commercialize its products; and whether the patent and patent applications owned or licensed by Xanthus will protect the Company’s technology and prevent others from infringing it. Xanthus disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
Kari Watson, MacDougall Biomedical Communications, Inc. - kwatson@macbiocom.com or (508) 647-0209
John A. McCarthy, Jr., Senior Vice President & CFO, Xanthus Life Sciences, Inc. - john.mccarthy@xanthus.com or (617) 225-0522, x 125
Xanthus Life Sciences, Inc.
CONTACT: Kari Watson of MacDougall Biomedical Communications, Inc.,+1-508-647-0209, kwatson@macbiocom.com; or John A. McCarthy, Jr., SeniorVice President & CFO of Xanthus Life Sciences Inc., +1-617-225-0522, ext.125, john.mccarthy@xanthus.com
Web site: http://www.xanthus.com//
