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| VGX
Pharmaceuticals Completes Manufacturing of New Oncology Drug
VGX-150 for Phase I Clinical Trials
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| Blue
Bell, PA – October 13, 2006 – |
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VGX Pharmaceuticals announced today that the manufacturing
of clinical drug product has been completed for VGX-150, its lead clinical
candidate for the treatment of melanoma. VGX-150 is a novel DNA-based
therapy containing Viral protein r (Vpr).
Skin cancer (both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer) is the most common
of all cancers, accounting for more than 50% of all malignancies. Melanoma
is responsible for about 80% of all mortality due to skin. The number
of new melanoma cases diagnosed in the United States is increasing; approximately
8,000 people in the US died of melanomas during 2004.
VGX Pharmaceuticals has discovered that specific viral proteins can induce
selective apoptosis (programmed cell death) in rapidly dividing cancer
cells without affecting normal cells. Pre-clinical studies have shown
that Vpr induces tumor death through apoptosis in a variety of established
human tumor cells derived from the GI, blood, skin, breast, prostate,
brain, and other sources. Vpr-based drugs have also been shown to be effective
against drug-resistant cancer cells in preclinical tests, with lower potential
toxicity compared to current chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Treatment
with VGX-150 DNA plasmid has shown to significantly reduce or eradicate
melanoma tumors in mice (Molecular Therapy, 2006).
“This is a major development for the treatment of melanoma as well
as for the development of new cancer drugs by VGX,” says J. Joseph
Kim, Ph.D., President and CEO of VGX Pharmaceuticals. “VGX-150 is
a novel drug candidate with broad anti-cancer properties. VGX-150 has
shown therapeutic effects against various human cancer cells in many pre-clinical
laboratory models,” said Dr. Kim. “VGX-150 is a first drug
in a prolific VGX oncology pipeline including VGX-100 for Stomach Cancer
and Lymphoma.”
Toxicity studies for VGX-150 are currently in progress at the University
of South Florida. An Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for VGX-150
is expected to be filed and Phase I clinical trials are expected to be
initiated in the first quarter of 2007.
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Our actual results may vary materially, and there are no guarantees
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About
VGX Pharmaceuticals
VGX Pharmaceuticals is a leading biopharmaceutical company with strong product
candidates for the treatment of infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis
C virus (HCV) as well as cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Company’s
clinical development programs include PICTOVIR™ for HIV infection
and VGX-410C for chronic HCV infection, which are currently in Phase II
clinical trials. In addition, a Phase I clinical trial will be initiated
in 2007 for the Company’s lead cancer drug compound, VGX-150 for the
treatment of Melanoma. Moreover, VGX Pharmaceuticals’ therapeutic
platform is designed to advance a strong and continual pipeline of additional
drug candidates into the clinic with VGX-100 for cancer therapy and VGX-1027
and VGX-750 for inflammatory diseases currently in development. The product
candidates and technology programs are protected by the Company’s
extensive global intellectual property portfolio. More information about
VGX can be found at www.vgxp.com.
Company Contact:
Kevin W. Rassas
Senior Vice President
Tel. 267.440.4208
Fax 267.440.4242
E-mail: Rassas@vgxp.com
www.vgxp.com
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