Preclinical Data of Introgen's INGN 241 Demonstrate Broad Anti-Cancer Activity In Multiple Tumor Types as Monotherapy and in Combination; Update on Gene Therapy Research at MDA under Dr. Roy Smythe
SEATTLE, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. today reported preclinical findings demonstrating that INGN 241, an Adenoviral vector encoding the mda-7 gene, is a novel cytokine family member that exhibits broad anticancer activity. INGN 241 can inhibit cell growth in multiple tumor types when used alone or in combination with established therapies. These data were presented as three separate studies at the Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gene Therapy in Seattle, Washington.
Highlights of the studies include
- Potent in vitro anti-tumor activity in human breast cancer cells in combination with Herceptin® or tamoxifen. This in vitro study, conducted by Sunil Chada, Ph.D., director of research and development at Introgen, demonstrates that INGN 241 is very potent in inhibiting breast cancer cell growth when combined with two molecular-based therapies used to treat breast cancer, Herceptin® (Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against the Her2 receptor) and tamoxifen (also known as Nolvadex®, Tamofen and Genox, which blocks the effect of estrogen, a female hormone which can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells). The addition of INGN 241 to the treatment regimen potently enhanced the anti-tumor effect compared to each individual agent. The authors concluded that the combination of a potent anti-tumor agent like INGN 241 with conventional anti-cancer agents like Herceptin and tamoxifen will increase anti-cancer effects.
"This study shows that INGN 241 is a promising anti-cancer agent that can be combined with conventional therapies for enhanced anti-tumor effects," said Dr. Chada. "The ability to utilize molecular targets specific for cancer cells may allow us to develop targeted therapies that selectively kill cancer cells while leaving normal tissue unharmed. Further research with these promising gene/drug combinations is warranted."
- Forced expression of mda-7 by adenoviral gene transfer causes apoptotic cell death in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in vitro. In this study conducted in collaboration with Roy Smythe, M.D., at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, treatment of human MPM cells in vitro with INGN 241 demonstrated programmed cell death, or apoptosis, with no observed effect upon normal cells. Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is a cancer of the lung for which there is no effective treatment. Mesothelioma is unresponsive to most chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens, and it typically recurs even after the most aggressive attempts at surgical resection. Thus, INGN 241 may provide a novel means of treating this incurable cancer.
*** POSTED JUNE 14, 2001 ***