Pharmacotherapy
GTI-2040 : A Novel Antisense Drug Improves Efficacy of a Number of Chemotherapies
By Akanksha, Pharmacology Correspondent
Mar 22, 2005 - 8:32:00 AM

Lorus Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of cancer, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary GeneSense Technologies Inc. has received notice from the European Patent Office of its intention to grant the GeneSense application for a patent of its novel antisense drug GTI-2040.

Lorus also announced that GeneSense has received a patent issued by the Canadian Patent Office for GTI-2040.

Currently, development of GTI-2040 is being supported under a Clinical Trials Agreement with the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI). Given the potential for GTI-2040 to improve the efficacy of a number of chemotherapies, for a range of indications, clinical trials conducted under
the NCI-CTEP program involve combination therapy against non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, acute myeloid leukemia, prostate cancer and a variety of solid tumors.

Promising phase II interim clinical data arising from GTI-2040 in combination therapy for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma has provided evidence of disease stabilizations, tumor reductions and a favourable safety profile. Patients in this phase II clinical study had previously failed or
were ineligible for standard therapies, and were representative of a population with very poor prognostic outcome.

The Canadian patent and European patent allowance follows patents issued by the United States Patent Office and the Singapore, Australian and New Zealand Patent Offices. The patent application for this antisense drug has been filed in numerous additional international jurisdictions.

"These patents contribute to our strong global intellectual property portfolio, an important part of our strategy for creating shareholder value in our company," said Dr.Wright, CEO of Lorus Therapeutics.

GTI-2040 is an antisense drug that specifically targets the R2 component of ribonucleotide reductase,which is required for DNA synthesis and cell proliferation.

It has also been described as a malignant determinant that is elevated in a wide range of tumors,and through deregulation can cooperate with a variety of cellular cancer causing genes known as oncogenes to enhance tumor growth and metastatic potential.GTI-2040 showed significant antitumor activity against many different human tumors in preclinical studies.

In addition to the clinical trial in renal cell cancer described above, GTI-2040 is currently the subject of a Clinical Trials Agreement with the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI) under which GTI-2040 will be tested in combination chemotherapy in six different clinical trials. All of these trials have been initiated.

All rights reserved by www.rxpgnews.com