Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. News
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Reports Studies Published in 'Science' Highlight Key Role of Phosphatidylserine (PS) in Viral Infections
"These two excellent studies from independent groups of researchers exemplify the growing interest in the scientific community in the role of PS in viral infectivity and important aspects of immunity," said
In a separate Science Perspective article discussing the studies(3), the commentators note that the essential role of PS may not be limited to vaccinia infections, but may also play a role in HIV infection. Vaccinia and HIV are both enveloped viruses, and as the articles discuss, PS becomes exposed on the surface of enveloped viruses and the cells they infect. This is consistent with findings by Peregrine researchers showing that its anti-PS antibodies bind to every enveloped virus tested. The company's anti-PS antibodies have also demonstrated promising anti-viral activity against a number of enveloped viruses in preclinical tests, as well as in clinical trials in patients infected with HCV, which is an enveloped virus. In addition to the ongoing clinical trial in HCV patients co-infected with HIV, Peregrine's anti-PS antibodies are currently being studied in animal models of HIV.
Peregrine's anti-PS technology is exclusively licensed from the
"It is gratifying to see the growing momentum of scientific interest and inquiry in the unique role of PS in immune system function and dysfunction," said Dr. Thorpe. "Our extensive work in the potential of anti-PS therapies for treating virus infections and cancer has been predicated on the same types of mechanisms that are elucidated and discussed in these first-rate studies, and we welcome the independent corroboration and additional insights that this new research is providing to the field."
About Peregrine's Anti-PS Antibody Bavituximab
Peregrine's clinical stage monoclonal antibody bavituximab is in development for the treatment of certain viral diseases and cancer. It is the first in a new class of targeted anti-PS immunotherapeutics that binds to phosphatidylserine, a specific component of certain cellular membranes. PS is normally present only on the inside of cell membranes, but becomes exposed on the external surface of enveloped viruses and the cells they infect. Enveloped viruses are responsible for about half of all human viral diseases, including HCV, influenza, HIV, cytomegalovirus and other virus strains. Scientists believe that bavituximab helps block the ability of viruses to infect cells and also helps stimulate the body's natural immune defenses to destroy both the virus particles and infected cells. Since the PS targeted by bavituximab is primarily exposed on diseased cells, healthy cells should not be affected.
In preclinical studies, bavituximab has demonstrated the ability to bind to a wide range of enveloped viruses and virally infected cells and has shown promising activity in animal models of serious viral diseases. Bavituximab appeared well tolerated with no dose limiting adverse events and showed encouraging signs of antiviral activity as monotherapy in two Phase I trials in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection. A clinical trial in patients co-infected with HCV and HIV is now underway, and additional studies in HCV patients are planned. Similar to their proposed anti-viral mechanism, anti-PS antibodies also bind to phosphatidylserine exposed on tumor blood vessels in all solid cancers tested to date. Bavituximab demonstrated promising signs of anti-tumor activity in a Phase l trial in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors, and Phase II cancer trials are underway.
1. Vaccinia Virus Uses Macropinocytosis and Apoptotic Mimicry to Enter Host Cells,
2. Role of C. elegans TAT-1 Protein in Maintaining Plasma Membrane Phosphatidylserine Asymmetry,
3. CELL BIOLOGY: A One-Sided Signal,
About Peregrine Pharmaceuticals
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative product candidates in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The company is pursuing three separate clinical programs in cancer and HCV infection with its lead product candidates bavituximab and Cotara(R). Peregrine also has in- house manufacturing capabilities through its wholly owned subsidiary Avid Bioservices, Inc. (www.avidbio.com), which provides development and bio- manufacturing services for both Peregrine and outside customers. Additional information about Peregrine can be found at www.peregrineinc.com.
Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this press release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding Peregrine Pharmaceuticals' intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that the promising anti-viral activity demonstrated against enveloped viruses in preclinical studies may not be demonstrated in clinical trials. It is important to note that the company's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, uncertainties associated with completing preclinical and clinical trials for our technologies; the early stage of product development; the significant costs to develop our products as all of our products are currently in development, preclinical studies or clinical trials; obtaining additional financing to support our operations and the development of our products; obtaining regulatory approval for our technologies; anticipated timing of regulatory filings and the potential success in gaining regulatory approval and complying with governmental regulations applicable to our business. Our business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in the company's SEC reports including, but not limited to, the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
Contacts: GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners Investors Media info@peregrineinc.com Barbara Lindheim (800) 987-8256 (212) 918-4650
SOURCE Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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