PharmaMar Presents 13 Posters at AACR Highlighting Clinical and Preclinical Development Pipeline
Anaheim, California (ots/PRNewswire)
PharmaMar today announces the presentation of thirteen posters highlighting advances with its clinical and preclinical compounds at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), taking place in Anaheim, California from 16-20 April 2005. The posters include results from research on Yondelis(R), Aplidin(R), ES-285, Zalypsis(R), lamellarins and variolins.
Dr Carmen Cuevas, R&D Director of PharmaMar said:
"Taken together these new results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of PharmaMar's compounds and novelty of their mechanisms of action. A progressive and directed approach will continue to guide PharmaMar's focus on bringing marine-derived oncology compounds into the clinic. With our most advanced compounds, gene expression profiles and cell markers are being investigated in order to improve selection of target patients in the future."
Below are PharmaMar's highlights from this year's AACR meeting:
Yondelis(R) (trabectedin)
1. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) contributes to cellular sensitivity to trabectedin (Yondelis). Michael V. Mandola, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, US.
2. Chemoresistance of bone sarcoma cells to trabectedin correlates with secreted Hsp90 and vinculin. Lawrence Weissbach, PharmaMar USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
Aplidin(R)
1. Aplidin induces JNK-dependent apoptosis in human breast cancer cells via alteration of glutathione homeostasis, Rac and Rho activation, and MKP-1 phosphatase down-regulation. Laura Gonzalez-Santiago, Alberto Sols Institute of Investigational Biomedicine, Madrid, Spain.
2. Gene expression profiling of leukaemic blasts from AML and ALL patients reveals a molecular signature associated with sensitivity to Aplidin. Nerea Martinez, CNIO, Madrid, Spain.
3. Synergistic action of Aplidin and cytosine arabinoside in vitro and in vivo against lymphoblastic leukaemia. Lata G. Menon, Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, US.
ES-285
1. ES-285, a novel marine anticancer agent: Investigation of mechanism of action using gene expression microarrays. Richard Baird, Paul Clarke, Paul Workman. Cancer Research UK Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, United Kingdom
Zalypsis(R) (PM00104)
1. The novel compound PM00104 exhibits significant in vivo activity against breast tumours. Mariano Elices, PharmaMar USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
2. Antitumor activity of the novel investigational compound PM00104. Mariano Elices, PharmaMar USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
Lamellarins
1. In vitro toxicology studies of Lamellarins M, D and K and 4 synthetic analogues. Judy Luber-Narod, PharmaMar USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
2. Lamellarins, novel marine compounds showing efficacy in a panel of human tumour xenografts. Mariano Elices, PharmaMar USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
Variolins
1. Potent in vivo activity of Variolin PM01218 against human leukaemic cell lines of various lineages. Maria Virtudes Cespedes, Research Institute, San Pau Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
2. Schedule-dependent, growth inhibitory activity of variolins against human transplantable lung carcinoma xenografts. Maria Virtudes Cespedes, Research Institute, San Pau Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
3. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of Variolin B analogue, PM01218, in rats. Jianming Yin, PharmaMar USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
PharmaMar
PharmaMar is one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies in advancing cancer care through the discovery and development of innovative marine-derived medicines. PharmaMar's clinical portfolio currently includes: YONDELIS(R) (co-developed with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development) in Phase III clinical trials; it is also designated Orphan Drug for Soft Tissue Sarcomas by the European Commission (E.C.) in 2001 and by the FDA in 2004, and Orphan Drug for ovarian cancer by the E.C. in 2003 and by the FDA in 2005. It also features Aplidin(R), in Phase II, designated Orphan Drug for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by the E.C. in 2003 and by the FDA in 2004, and for multiple myeloma by the FDA and the EC in 2004; as well as Kahalalide F in Phase II, and ES-285 and Zalypsis(R) in Phase I clinical trials.
PharmaMar, based in Madrid, Spain, is a subsidiary of the Zeltia Group (Spanish stock exchange, ZEL).
This press release is also available in the News section on PharmaMar's web site: http://www.pharmamar.com/en/press
Contact:
Media: Lola Casals, PharmaMar Communication, tel.: +34-91-846-6000;
Coro Egaña, Zeltia Corporate Communication, tel.: +34-91-444-4500.
Investors: Catherine Moukheibir, Zeltia Capital Markets Operations,
tel.: +34-91-444-4500)