RandyW Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 First New Class of Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Drug Candidates in 30 Years Demonstrate Ability to First New Class of Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Drug October 24, 2007: 01:30 AM EST SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) announced preclinical data presented at the 19th annual AACR-NCI-EORTC Symposium show its bis-platinate drug candidates, CT-47613 and CT-47609, kill tumors refractory to currently marketed platinum agents carboplatin, cisplatin and oxaliplatin. These compounds could enter human clinical trials in late 2008. "Bis-platinates represent a promising new class of platinum-based chemotherapy drugs with a potential broad spectrum of anti-tumor activity. Anti-cancer drugs containing platinum are a cornerstone therapy for a wide range of tumor types including ovarian, testicular, colorectal, head and neck, and lung cancer," said Jack W. Singer, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of CTI. "These bis-platinates, unlike the currently approved platinum compounds, contain two platinum atoms and work by binding to and damaging both strands of DNA making it much more difficult for cancer cells to repair the damage. The preclinical studies presented at this meeting suggest these compounds are substantially more active than the existing monoplatinates -- especially against platinum-resistant tumors. These agents could represent a significant advance in the treatment of a wide variety of cancers." Novel bisplatinum complexes characterized by an improved in vitro plasma protein binding and in vivo efficacy on xenograft models (Abstract A267) Scientists from CTI-Europe presented data on two novel bis-platinum complexes, CT-47613 and CT-47609. When tested in animal models of ovarian cancer and colon cancer, the bis-platinates were significantly more potent than the two most commonly used platinum based chemotherapy drugs, carboplatin and cisplatin and oxaliplatin. Importantly these agents demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in tumors with either acquired or intrinsic resistance to cisplatin or carboplatin, representing the first such class of binuclear platinum based drugs to show activity in these tumor types. While initially effective in treating cancer, many tumors ultimately develop resistance to standard platinum agents. Prior attempts at developing tri-nuclear platinum containing drug candidates proved disappointing when tested in human clinical trials due to extensive protein binding and de-platination in the bloodstream. These novel second-generation bis-platinate compounds utilize butyrate or carboxylate moieties to improve their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles overcoming the limitations of prior multinuclear based compounds. They were developed to be stable in human plasma while circumventing standard palatinate resistance by causing bi-functional long range inter-strand and intra-strand DNA cross links. About Platinum Anticancer Agents Platinum agents are the most broadly used cytotoxic drugs used in the war on cancer. They are part of first-line therapeutic regimens for many common cancers including non-small cell lung, ovarian, colorectal, and testicular cancers. Three important monoplatinates are in common use including, carboplatin for lung and ovarian cancers, oxaliplatin for colorectal cancer, and cisplatin for testicular, lung and ovarian cancers. Global sales of platinum based drugs exceeded $1.5 Billion in 2006. About Cell Therapeutics, Inc. Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable. For additional information, please visit http://www.cticseattle.com. This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially and/or adversely affect actual future results. Specifically, the risks and uncertainties that could affect the development of our bis-platinate drug candidates, CT-47613 and CT-47609, include risks associated with preclinical and clinical developments in the biopharmaceutical industry in general and with our bis-platinate drug candidate in particular including, without limitation, the potential failure of our bis-platinate drug candidates to prove safe and effective for treatment of non-small cell lung, ovarian, colorectal and testicular cancers, determinations by regulatory, patent and administrative governmental authorities, competitive factors, technological developments, costs of developing, producing and selling our bis-platinate drug candidates, and the risk factors listed or described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, the Company's most recent filings on Forms 10-K, 8-K, and 10-Q. Except as may be required by Italian law, CTI is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Media Contact: Dan Eramian T: 206.272.4343 C: 206.854.1200 Susan Callahan T: 206.272.4472 F: 206.272.4434 E: media@ctiseattle.com www.cticseattle.com/media.htm Investors Contact: Leah Grant T: 206.282.7100 F: 206.272.4434 E: invest@ctiseattle.com www.cticseattle.com/investors.htm Quote
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