Press Release Archive
May 11, 2004
May 11, 2004 PDF Version (93.8kb)
First American Gains Therapeutic Benefit From REXIN-G™, The Leading Tumor-targeted Gene Therapy Vector For Pancreatic Cancer
LOS ANGELES, California, May 11, 2004 - Epeius Biotechnologies Corporation today announced that the first American with advanced pancreatic cancer has responded favorably to Rexin-G™, the leading tumor-targeted injectable gene therapy vector. While Epeius Biotechnologies Corporation has recently gained FDA approval to open Phase I/II clinical trials in the United States, the first American patient opted to travel to Manila, Philippines, to receive the gene therapy intervention there, where the first clinical studies using Rexin-G™ for pancreatic cancer were conducted. Over a one-month period, Rexin-G™ induced a progressive reduction in the size of his pancreatic tumor, and disappearance or shrinkage of his liver tumors without serious side effects.
The landmark clinical trial in cancer gene therapy was conducted by Drs. Conrado Lorenzo III and Gerardo H. Cornelio in a world-class tertiary care hospital in Manila, Philippines. The clinical trials using Rexin-G™ for pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors in Manila is the result of a global initiative of Drs. Frederick L. Hall and Erlinda M. Gordon, founders of Epeius Biotechnologies Corporation to bring this targeted cancer intervention to the world. Dr. Gordon, an Asian-American physician/ scientist was recently awarded a plaque of recognition and a proclamation for her contributions in the field of biotechnology by the City of Los Angeles Mayor (James K. Hahn) and Councilmen. Rexin-G™ gained U.S. FDA orphan drug approval for pancreatic cancer in the Fall of 2003, providing further product validation and exclusivity in the marketplace for years to come.
In a statement to the press, Dr. Hall, President and CEO of Epeius Biotechnologies remarked that "the realization that Rexin-G™ works well in Americans too could catalyze the financial support needed to rapidly expand the clinical trials in the United States". However, when questions about curing cancer inevitably arose, Dr. Hall emphasized caution: "We know that the implications of the TDS [targeted delivery system] technology are profound. However, while the targeting technology is indeed effective in delivering cancer-killing genes to metastatic tumors, and we are accumulating clinical evidence that Rexin-G™ is effective in pancreatic cancer, discussions about "cure" is premature, as this conclusion can only be made after extensive critical analysis of the results of a large number of clinical trials has been performed".
ABOUT EPEIUS: Epeius Biotechnologies Corporation is a privately held biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to develop and commercialize the first truly effective Targeted Delivery System (TDS) that can be injected directly into a vein to deliver genes and molecular therapeutics preferentially to cancerous tumors that have spread throughout the body (metastatic cancer), without eliciting systemic side effects or organ damage. Its lead product, Rexin-G™, is the first targeted injectable gene therapy vector that has been approved by both the U.S. FDA and the Philippine BFAD (FDA counterpart) for use in Phase I/II clinical trials for pancreatic and colon cancer.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dr. Frederick L. Hall
President and CEO
Phone: 626-441-6695
Fax: 626-441-6692
Email: info@epeiusbiotech.com
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