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

ProMetic Life Sciences Inc.: PBI-1402 Enters Clinical Trial for Anemia Associated With Chronic Kidney Disease

Posted on: Thursday, 11 January 2007, 12:00 CST

ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. (TSX: PLI) ("ProMetic") announced today that it has received regulatory approval from Health Canada for the expansion of its lead compound PBI-1402's clinical program to include the treatment of anemic patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

Nearly half of erythropoietin (EPO) sales in the US is for anemic patients with renal diseases and, as much as 60% of EPO used in CKD patients is actually for 10%-15% of CKD patients requiring a high dose of (EPO) to treat their anemia.

The trial is designed to monitor the safety and tolerability of PBI-1402 and whether it has additive effects when combined with EPO in this particular patient population.

"The mechanism of action of PBI-1402 is different from the current drug of choice for the treatment of anemia, EPO" stated Dr. Christopher Penney, Chief Scientific Officer for the Therapeutic Unit of ProMetic. "PBI-1402 does not bind to the same cell surface receptor molecule as EPO, and therefore offers three potential uses for PBI-1402 to treat anemic patients: as a stand alone treatment, in patients not responsive to EPO, and in combination with EPO".

"An additive effect on red blood cell progenitors in human bone marrow combining PBI-1402 and EPO in in vitro cell culture has already been demonstrated" commented Dr. Lyne Gagnon, Director of Biology at ProMetic. "The prospect of improving the clinical outcome with the combination or even achieving a similar outcome with a lower dose of EPO would be a great benefit to this patient population."

This clinical trial will be undertaken at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, under the direction of Drs. Vincent Pichette and Martine Leblanc, Nephrologists. Patients enrolled in the study will be treated for a period of 12 weeks followed by a four-week observational period.

About ProMetic Life Sciences Inc.

ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. (www.prometic.com) is a biopharmaceutical company specialized in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of a variety of commercial applications derived from its proprietary Mimetic LigandTM enabling technology. This technology is used in large-scale purification of biologics and the elimination of pathogens. ProMetic is also active in therapeutic drug development with the mission to bring to market effective, innovative, lower cost, less toxic products for the treatment of inflammation and cancer. Its drug discovery platform is focused on replacing complex, expensive proteins with synthetic "drug-like" protein mimetics. Headquartered in Montreal (Canada), ProMetic has R&D and manufacturing facilities in the UK and business development activities in the US, Europe, Asia and MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa).

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about ProMetic's objectives, strategies and businesses that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are "forward-looking" because they are based on our current expectations about the markets we operate in and on various estimates and assumptions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate. Such risks and assumptions include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to develop, manufacture, and successfully commercialize value-added pharmaceutical products, the availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the ability of the Company to take advantage of business opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the regulatory process and general changes in economic conditions. You will find a more detailed assessment of the risks that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from our current expectations on page 17 of the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2005, under the heading "Risk Factors". As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available, as a result of future events or for any other reason.

 Contacts: ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. Pierre Laurin President and CEO 514-341-2115 p.laurin@ProMetic.com  ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. Anne Hodgkinson Communications Manager 514-341-2115 ext.2234 a.hodgkinson@ProMetic.comwww.prometic.com

SOURCE: ProMetic Life Sciences Inc.

Source: MARKET WIRE

More News in this Category