EP-100 tested by TGen Clinical Research Services at Scottsdale
Healthcare
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Oct. 5, 2009 - A new drug designed to "seek and
destroy" common cancers such as breast, prostate, endometrial,
pancreatic, ovarian, skin and testicular cancers is being tested at
TGen Clinical Research Services (TCRS) at Scottsdale
Healthcare.
The Phase 1 clinical trial will help determine if EP-100 is safe
and effective for use among patients with solid cancer tumors, with
fewer side effects than chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
TCRS is a partnership of the Translational Genomics Research
Institute (TGen) and Scottsdale Healthcare. The partnership allows
molecular and genomic discoveries made by TGen and others around
the world to reach the patient bedside in the Virginia G. Piper
Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare as quickly as possible
through clinical trials with agents directed at specific targets in
patients' tumors.
Dr. Ramesh K. Ramanathan, M.D., principal investigator for the
trial in Scottsdale, said the drug is a membrane-disrupting peptide
(tMDP) designed to "seek and destroy" cancer cells by targeting
those with excessive luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH)
receptors.
Excessive LHRH receptors are found in a wide range of cancers,
including breast, prostate, endometrial, pancreatic, ovarian, skin
and testicular cancers.
Dr. Mike Janicek, M.D., a Gynecologist Oncologist who practices at
the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, said,
"I am looking forward to participating in the study with EP100,
especially for ovarian and uterine cancer patients. Often patients
with advanced cancer will need new therapies and a targeted
treatment like EP100 is the next frontier of research."
The study is designed to evaluate the safety of EP100 and will
enroll as many as 36 adult patients with solid tumors whose tumor
biopsies indicate that they have excessive LHRH receptors.
EP-100 will be administered intravenously for three out of four
weeks. Once the maximum tolerated dose has been established,
additional subjects with specific diagnoses of either breast,
ovarian, endometrial, pancreatic or prostate cancer will be
enrolled. EP-100 is produced by Esperance Pharmaceuticals of Baton
Rouge, La., and was culled from a range of drugs tested at TGen
Drug Development Services (TD2) in Scottsdale.
"It brings with it a killer, a toxin. It's a way of targeting a
toxin to the cancer tumor cells,'' said Dr. Steve Gately, president
and chief scientific advisor at TD2. "Our goal would be to find
that set of patients who are highly responsive; who have the
greatest benefit. We'd like to accelerate the government approval
for that agent.''
The clinical trials could show that EP-100 is effective with
certain types of cancer, Dr. Gately said. "Perhaps there is a
genetic context under which certain patients may be more
responsive. We want to find those patients.''
Dr. Hector Alila, president of Esperance, said EP-100 has the
potential to offer an improved safety and effectiveness over
existing therapies, such as radiation or chemotherapy.
"Preclinical studies of EP-100 demonstrated this candidate's
efficacy across multiple indications in oncology, including
aggressive cancers known to be resistant to the current standards
of care and, importantly, studies of EP-100's mechanism-of-action
support that it targets and selectively kills cancer cells without
harming normal cells," Dr. Alila said.
More about the trial can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Patients who seeking additional information about eligibility to
participate may contact patient care coordinator Joyce Ingold, RN,
at 480-323-1339, toll free at 1-877-273-3713 or at
[email protected]
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About the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale
Healthcare
The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare offers
diagnosis, treatment, research, prevention and support in its
facilities at the Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center,
attracting patients from across Arizona and the U.S. Groundbreaking
cancer research is conducted through its Scottsdale Clinical
Research Institute and TGen Clinical Research Service. Scottsdale
Healthcare is the not-for-profit parent organization of the
Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare
Osborn Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak
Hospital, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, Scottsdale Clinical
Research Institute and Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation. For
additional information, please visit www.shc.org.
Press Contact:
Keith Jones, Director of Public Relations
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare
480-882-4412
[email protected]
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About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at
TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer,
neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of
translational research where investigators are able to unravel the
genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with
collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen
believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency
and effectiveness of the translational process. TGen is affiliated
with the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
For more information, please visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
*
About Esperance Pharmaceuticals
Esperance Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is developing a new class of highly
potent targeted anticancer drugs using its Cationic Lytic Peptide
(CLYP™) platform technology. These drug candidates, called targeted
membrane-disrupting peptides (tMDPs), consist of a ligand component
that binds to extracellular receptors on the cancer cell and a
potent cytolytic peptide component that kills the cancer cell.
Targeted MDPs, which are positively charged, specifically bind only
to cancer cells that express the target receptors on their surfaces
and interact with the negatively charged membranes of the cancer
cells resulting in disruption of the cell membrane and causing the
cancer cells to die by cell lysis. The drug candidates selectively
kill cancer cells, including cells known to be resistant to
chemotherapeutic drugs, without harming normal cells. In addition
to EP-100, Esperance Pharmaceuticals has three other drug
candidates in preclinical stages. The Company was founded on
patented technology discovered by scientists at Louisiana State
University. Founding investors include the Louisiana Fund I,
Research Corporation Technologies and Themelios Ventures, LP-a
venture fund managed by the principals of VCE Capital Partners,
LLC. Additional investors include the Louisiana Technology Fund and
private investors. More information can be found at
www.esperancepharma.com.
Press Contact:
Hector Alila, Ph.D.
President and Founder
Esperance Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
[email protected]
(225) 615-8949
Media Relations:
Sarah Cavanaugh
MacDougall Biomedical Communications
[email protected]
(781) 235-3060
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