Lorus: Studies of anticancer drug GTI-2501 provide strong support for further development

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, March 1 - Lorus Therapeutics Inc. announced that three research studies for Lorus' anticancer products provided support for further development of Lorus' lead small molecule program and two antisense drugs.

The research was published in peer-reviewed international journals in February and March, according to a company news release.

"Publications in these peer-reviewed international journals reflect the high quality of the experimental program and scientific leadership within Lorus' preclinical small molecule and antisense programs," Jim Wright, Lorus' president and chief executive officer, said in the release.

"These papers also demonstrate our continuing commitment to carrying out comprehensive preclinical research in addition to the clinical research programs. The results add to our confidence in the company's current clinical and business development strategies," Wright added.

The research includes preclinical data for GTI-2501 that shows a broad spectrum of antitumor activity.

Treatment with the antisense agent, which targets the large subunit of human ribonucleotide reductase, was highly effective in decreasing tumor group in a dozen experimental models of human solid tumors in mice, including breast, lung, renal, brain, ovarian, pancreatic, colon, skin and prostate cancers.

Results suggest that GTI-2501 has the potential to act as a broad indication anticancer agent and support ongoing clinical development. This research appears in the February issue of the International Journal of Oncology.

In another line of research, investigators studied a new delivery formulation for ML-220. The new liposome delivery technology significantly improved the water solubility of ML-220 so that pharmacokinetic properties of ML-220 could be evaluated for the first time, officials said.

The study also showed that liposomal ML-220 retained anti-proliferative activity against human ovarian and breast cancer cell lines in vitro and significant in vivo efficacy when administered intravenously into mice harboring colon carcinoma (HT-29) tumors with no overt signs of toxicity.

The findings of this study provide a basis for studying the clinical uses and doses suitable for investigation with this formulation, officials said. The same technology will also be applicable to other compounds within the ML-series.

Lorus said it anticipates the advancement of one or more compounds from the ML-series into clinical trials during 2006.

That research is available online through PubMed and the full article will appear in print in the upcoming issue of the journal Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, officials said.

In a third line of research, GTI-2601 significantly decreased expression of thioredoxin in human colon cancer cells in vitro, significantly inhibiting cell growth. GTI-2601 also had a profound antitumor effect in vivo on colon cancer tumors grown in mice, officials said.

Studies also are being conducted on formulations of GTI-2601 that employ a novel collagen delivery technology in collaboration with Japan's Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. and Koken Co. Ltd., officials said.

The goal of these studies is to identify a safe and effective delivery system for antisense therapeutics that would decrease the required effective dose and dose frequency for this class of drugs.

That research appeared in the February issue of Anti-Cancer Drugs.

Lorus is a Toronto, Ont., biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of cancer therapies.

© 2015 Prospect News.
All content on this website is protected by copyright law in the U.S. and elsewhere. For the use of the person downloading only.
Redistribution and copying are prohibited by law without written permission in advance from Prospect News.
Redistribution or copying includes e-mailing, printing multiple copies or any other form of reproduction.