DALLAS, ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC:ACCP) (BULLETIN BOARD: ACCP) announced today that its collaborators at Centre Rene Huguenin in France presented new preclinical data on its lead anticancer compound, ProLindac(TM), at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2009 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The poster presentation entitled "DACH platinum (dach-Pt) release kinetics, ex-vivo and in vivo plasma protein binding and evaluation of red blood cell (RBC) partitioning of ProLindac, a novel DACH-Pt-bound biopolymer" was presented on Monday, April 20.
ProLindac is Access' novel polymer-based DACH platinum prodrug which has been shown to be active in a wide variety of solid tumors in both preclinical models and in human trials. Access recently announced positive results from the completed phase 2 monotherapy clinical study in recurrent ovarian cancer. The study reported in the 2009 AACR poster provides in vitro and ex-vivo data on the binding of ProLindac to blood components, and suggests a mechanistic rationale for ProLindac's favorable efficacy and safety profile.
"The data shows that ProLindac's polymer carrier is highly bound to circulating plasma proteins," stated David P. Nowotnik, Ph.D., Access' Senior Vice President, Research and Development. "As a result, we would expect ProLindac to provide sustained tumor exposure to platinum. In addition, there was little red blood cell accumulation, which could account for the lower level of hematological toxicities observed for ProLindac compared to others platinum species."
"We are grateful to our European collaborators for their ongoing studies, which continue to expand our knowledge and understanding of the unique characteristics of our proprietary platinum prodrug," commented Jeffrey B. Davis, Access' President & CEO. "Following the recent announcement of positive results from the completed phase 2 clinical study in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, and from in vitro data reported previously showing that the anticancer properties of ProLindac are enhanced when used in combination with other anticancer drugs, Access is manufacturing additional supplies of ProLindac for planned combination studies later this year."
Access currently has two development and commercialization partners for ProLindac. A licensing agreement with Jiangsu Aosaikang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("ASK") was signed in 2008 under which ASK will manufacture, develop and commercialize ProLindac for the Greater China Region which includes the People's Republic of China. In February 2009, Access announced it had signed a licensing agreement with JCOM, Ltd for South Korea for both ProLindac and MuGard, its FDA approved therapy for oral mucositis. Under these licensing agreements, Access receives milestone payments and royalties on sales. Access is currently in discussion with potential partners for development and commercialization of ProLindac in additional territories.
