Immtech Announces Issue of Patent for Compounds Used to Control Gene Expression
Posted on: Thursday, 14 April 2005, 09:00 CDT
VERNON HILLS, Ill., April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Immtech International, Inc. announced today that scientists of Immtech's Scientific Consortium have been issued United States Patent No. 6,867,227, entitled "Compounds that Exhibit Specific Molecular Recognition of Mixed Nucleic Acid Sequences and Bind the DNA Minor Groove as a Dimer". Immtech holds an exclusive worldwide license to commercialize this patent, issued on March 15, 2005, to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and Georgia State University (GSU) in Atlanta, GA. This patent adds to the potential use of Immtech's compounds as small molecule drugs that can control gene expression selectively and provide treatments for microbial infections, cancers and disorders of genetic origin or uncontrolled cell proliferation.
The issued patent expands on the structure and use of Immtech's proprietary library of aromatic cationic compounds. Specifically, Immtech Consortium Scientists, led by Drs. W. David Wilson and David W. Boykin at GSU and Dr. Richard R. Tidwell at UNC, discovered that certain unfused aromatic cationic molecules can specifically recognize and bind to not only narrow, DNA minor groove pockets rich in adenosine-thymine (or "AT") nucleic acid sequences, but also to wider minor groove pockets formed by sequences rich in guanosine-cytosine (or "GC") nucleic acid bases. The latter binding requires the drug molecules to stack on top of one another as a "stacked dimer" to fit into the wider spaces defined by these base pairs. When drug molecules bind to any of these DNA sequences, they may be able to control the expression of certain genes and regulate biochemical processes critical to cell function.
In cancer, there is heightened focus on the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. Telomeres are rich in polymeric sequences of guanosine bases that normally shorten each time a cell divides. A special enzyme called telomerase, found in ~90% of cancer cells and selected normal tissues, prevents the shortening of the poly G sequence, resulting in an immortalized cell that continues to divide and may form a tumor. By specifically binding to sequences rich in guanosine bases, stacked aromatic cations may be able to block the activity of telomerase and produce an important anti-cancer effect.
Dr. Lawrence A. Potempa, Immtech's Chief Science Officer and Vice President of Research stated, "This discovery by Dr. Wilson and his colleagues has profound implications in the development of new strategies and drug substances that may be able to target specific diseases at the genetic level. The unique nature of this class of compounds coupled with our strong patent position gives Immtech an important global advantage in assuming a leadership position in developing drugs to control and regulate cell proliferation and gene expression."
Dr. Wilson of Georgia State University said, "It is clear that the stacked dimers represent a powerful new motif for specific, strong recognition of mixed base pair DNA sequences. At the most fundamental level the heterocyclic dimer systems will provide significant new understanding of the molecular basis of DNA recognition and how it is affected by the local interplay of base pair chemistry, solvent and ligand properties. The clinically useful and cell permeable hetercyclic motif is unique in targeting mixed sequences of DNA."
About Immtech International
Immtech International, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company advancing the development and commercialization of oral drugs to treat infectious diseases and neoplastic (cancer) and metabolic (diabetes) disorders. We are developing treatments for fungal infections, malaria, tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, Pneumocystis pneumonia ("PcP") and tropical diseases, including African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis) and leishmaniasis. We have a worldwide, exclusive license to commercialize a dicationic pharmaceutical platform from which a pipeline of products may be developed to target large, global markets.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Immtech International, Inc.'s business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the most recently ended fiscal year.
Immtech International, Inc.
CONTACT: F. C. Thompson of Immtech International, Inc., 1-877-898-8038
Web site: http://www.immtech-international.com/
Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall
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