• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

CytRx to Present Favorable Study Data With Iroxanadine in Diabetic Wound Healing at the Third Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies

Posted on: Monday, 2 June 2008, 09:19 CDT

CytRx Corporation (Nasdaq:CYTR), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of human therapeutics, today announced that on June 6, 2008 it will present study data indicating that diabetic mice treated with iroxanadine healed from diabetic wounds nearly two times faster than untreated diabetic mice. These study results will be introduced by CytRx's Senior Vice President of Research and Development Shi Chung Ng, Ph.D., at the Third Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies held in Toronto, Canada.

During his presentation, Dr. Ng will discuss the method of action of iroxanadine, which is believed to repair damaged endothelial cells by amplifying molecular chaperones. Molecular chaperones are proteins that recognize for repair or mark for destruction other proteins that have misfolded in inappropriate, toxic shapes during conditions that are stressful to cells, such as during certain disease states. Small molecule amplifiers of the chaperone response, such as CytRx's clinical candidates iroxanadine and arimoclomol, have shown promising results in animal models of neurological impairment and diabetic complications.

"We believe that iroxanadine could represent a new paradigm in pharmaceutical intervention for diabetic foot ulcers," said Dr. Ng. "We refer to our approach as normalizing endothelial dysfunction, as it treats the underlying condition associated with diabetic foot ulcers. Most previous-generation drug candidates tested in recent years were symptomatic treatment, aimed at preventing bacterial infections or topical application of growth factor.

"Our study results suggest that iroxanadine promotes healing by normalizing endothelial dysfunction through the molecular chaperone amplification pathway, as well as releasing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) from its negative regulator caveolin. eNOS is the biosynthetic enzyme for nitric oxide production in the vascular endothelium, and nitric oxide is the key message to signal vasodilation in the vascular endothelium. We are pleased to share our study results at this important meeting that attracts scientific and clinical thought-leaders from around the world," added Dr. Ng.

"Iroxanadine's demonstrated ability to promote release of eNOS from caveolin at nanomolar concentration within minutes of drug treatment is an amazing scientific finding, providing CytRx with an opportunity to address major medical concerns related to endothelial dysfunction, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes," stated CytRx Chief Scientific Spokesman Professor Louis Ignarro, Ph.D., of UCLA. Dr. Ignarro was the recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Medicine for his discovery of the key role of nitric oxide in vasodilation and cardiovascular diseases, and the author of the popular book NO More Heart Disease.

"These study results with iroxanadine in wound healing are sufficiently compelling to support our work toward initiating a Phase II clinical trial in diabetic foot ulcers in the first quarter of 2009, subject to U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance," added Jack Barber, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of CytRx.

About Diabetic Foot Ulcers

According to the American Diabetes Association, 20.8 million Americans, or 7 percent of the total population, have diabetes. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 15 percent of these patients will experience a foot ulcer in their lifetime. Costs for the care of ulcerated wounds in the United States have been estimated at $5 billion annually.

About the World Union of Wound Healing Societies

The World Union of Wound Healing Societies, a consortium of associations with the mission to enhance the lives of persons with wounds world-wide, is comprised of opinion leaders in wound care from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Denmark, the U.K. and the U.S. Every four years, the World Union of Wound Healing Societies brings together different disciplines, cultures and nationalities to work toward a universal solution to improve patient outcomes.

About CytRx Corporation

CytRx Corporation is a biopharmaceutical research and development company engaged in the development of high-value human therapeutics. The Company has three clinical-stage compounds based on its small-molecule "molecular chaperone" co-induction technology. CytRx owns and operates a research and development facility in San Diego. CytRx also maintains a 49% equity interest in RXi Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:RXII). For more information on the Company, visit www.cytrx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements that include the words "expect,""intend,""plan,""believe,""project,""estimate,""may,""should,""anticipate,""will" and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. All forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, risks or uncertainties related to the outcome or results of any future pre-clinical or clinical testing of iroxanadine for diabetic foot ulcers, the potential need to conduct additional toxicology or human studies with iroxanadine, which could result in substantial additional expenses and delay the initiation or resumption, as applicable, of the Company's planned clinical trials, CytRx's need for additional capital to fund its ongoing working capital needs, as well as other risks or uncertainties described in CytRx's most recently filed SEC documents, such as its most recent annual report on Form 10-K. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to CytRx on the date the statements are first published. CytRx undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category