FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
13 AUGUST 2013 |
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ImmuPharma plc
UPDATE
CANCER PROGRAMME IPP-204106
ImmuPharma plc (LSE:IMM) ("Immupharma" or the "Company" or the "Group"), the specialist drug discovery and development company is pleased to provide an update on its lead cancer programmeIPP-204106.
As announced in September last year the Company commenced dosing in cancer patients with the next generation of the "polyplexed Nucant" (See notes to editors).
Three hospitals are conducting these trials designed to assess safety and dosing levels in Europe including the prestigious Institute Jules Bordet, an Integrated Multidisciplinary Centre which is the only autonomous hospital in Belgium totally dedicated to cancer.
The trial is progressing according to protocol and its objective is to identify the optimal dose for treating patients. The oncologists involved in the study are leading the decisions on the number of patients and the dosing regimen. Patients that are being enrolled in this trial are in a serious condition, suffering from a range of cancers, all have metastasis (tumour spreading) and have failed their previous treatment. This trial will be followed by a Phase II efficacy study designed to treat various cancers, in approximately 30 patients, to identify appropriate biomarkers.
Our further intention is to conduct more focused follow-up studies on patients with glioblastoma (brain tumour), metastatic melanoma, and pancreatic cancer where nucleolin plays a key role and who are showing the appropriate biomarkers.
Dr Robert Zimmer, MD, PhD, ImmuPharma's President and Chief Scientific Officer commented:"The clinical development of our cancer programme continues to be a key priority for ImmuPharma. We look forward to announcing interim results from the current trial in the near future."
For further information please contact:
ImmuPharma PLC (www.immupharma.com) |
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Dr Robert Zimmer, President |
+33 389 66 13 20 |
Dimitri Dimitriou, Chief Executive Officer |
+44 20 7152 4080 |
Richard Warr, Chairman |
+44 20 7152 4080 |
Lisa Baderoon, Head of Investor Relations |
+44 7721 413 496 |
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Panmure Gordon & Co |
+44 (0)20 7886 2500 |
Fred Walsh, Hannah Woodley |
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Notes to Editors
ImmuPharma
ImmuPharma is focusing on developing novel medicines with high sales potential in specialist markets with serious unmet need. ImmuPharma has five drug candidates in development, two platform technologies and approximately 70 patents. The Company's most advanced drug candidate, LupuzorTM a potential blockbuster drug for Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease has received the approval from the US FDA to enter phase III with a Special Protocol Assessment and "Fast Track" designation. Most recent news confirmed a five year £50m funding facility from Darwin Strategic and the establishment of a Scientific Advisory Boardto provide scientific advice and support for Lupuzor's pivotal phase III programme.ImmuPharma was founded and is led by a commercially focused Board and management team with extensive experience. www.immupharma.com
Institut Jules Bordet
The Institute Jules Bordet, an Integrated Multidisciplinary Center, is the only autonomous hospital in Belgium totally dedicated to cancer. It covers both cancer screening and clinical care, is involved in research activities and is at the same time a teaching hospital at a high level.
The smooth cooperation between these three activities presents an original aspect and an important plus for the approach to the disease.
The original aspect of oncological practice at the Institut Jules Bordet is based upon the truly multidisciplinary therapeutical approach, reinforced by a single patient file that is used by all physicians regardless of their specialty. This file is present at all consultations and hospitalizations and collects all medical information on the patient. After establishment of the diagnosis, decisions about treatment are taken by common agreement, by a collective reflexion of surgeons, radiologists and internists, based upon the most modern therapeutical techniques.
The development of today's cancerology would not have been possible but for an intense laboratory and clinical research.
The "Laboratory for Research and Clinical Investigation"is pursuing fundamental research, especially in the field of hematology, mammary cancerology, on melanome and pulmonary cancer etc, activities that have led to hundreds of scientific contributions recognized on an international level.
A fundamental aspect of the Institute Jules Bordet is the close integration of research and practical oncology; as a consequence clinical research is permanently present in the treatment the physicians apply. A number of these clinical research programs are carried out in cooperation with national and international centers, especially in the framework of the EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) that was founded at the Institute Jules Bordet in 1964.
Academically and in the framework of the missions entrusted to the Institute Jules Bordet by the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the Institute has gained a reputation for the quality of its teaching of graduate and post-graduate courses. Every year the Institute forms and trains several oncologists who later practise their specialities in hospitals of Belgium as well as young researchers who will return to their respective hospitals to make use of their newly acquired expertise.
The Institute Jules Bordet distinguishes itself by its vocation as an integrated multidisciplinary center, developing the most recent approach and therapies based on active research, thus radiating both on the national and the international level.
Polyplexed Nucant
This "polyplexed Nucant" formulation has shown an impressive efficacy of 10 times over the previous Nucant version in pre-clinical cancer models and represents a new discovery from using the previous IPP-204106 Nucant version together with a specific excipient that forms micro/nano stuctures. IPP-204106 has a novel mechanism of action aimed at preventing proliferation, inducing apoptosis and also controlling angiogenesis.
