SAN DIEGO, Nov. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mast
Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: MSTX), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it will be
presenting data from an ex vivo study of MST-188
(vepoloxamer), its lead product candidate, at the 56th Annual
Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) taking place
December 6 – 9, 2014 in San Francisco, California. The abstract
entitled "Pro-coagulant Actions of Circulating Microparticles in
Sickle Cell Anemia and Sepsis Associated Coagulopathy and their
Modulation by a Triblock Polymer MST-188," will be presented
as part of the Oral and Poster Abstracts Program on Sunday December 7, 2014 in Session 321: Blood
Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Factors: Poster II, from 6:00-8:00pm PST in the Moscone Center, West
Building, Level 1. In addition, the abstract has also been
published in the November 14, 2014
supplemental volume of the journal Blood.
In the ex vivo study, which was conducted at Loyola University Medical Center, the
supplementation of MST-188 to blood samples collected from healthy
normal individuals, sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients and sepsis
associated coagulopathy (SAC) patients resulted in significant
decrease in thrombin generation and marked decrease of functioning
microparticles. The decrease in thrombin generation with MST-188
supplementation ranged from 24-55%. Thrombin is an enzyme that
controls the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, which promotes
blood clotting. Circulating microparticles (MPs) represent vesicles
and cellular fragments generated in microvascular angiopathic
conditions which facilitate pro-coagulant actions and contribute to
thrombin generation and associated inflammatory
processes. MST-188 is a triblock polymer with affinity to
hydrophobic surfaces which are generated in microangiopathic
conditions and may also interact with the phospholipid component of
MPs. To test the hypothesis that MST-188 may decrease the
pro-coagulant effects of MPs, a functional method to access MPs
levels and a thrombin generation assay was used.
Martin Emanuele, Ph.D., Senior
Vice President, Development, said: "These results suggest that
MST-188 (vepoloxamer) antagonizes the procoagulant properties of
microparticles formed in sepsis and during sickle cell crisis. This
is important because dysfunctional coagulation is a key part of the
pathology underlying 'sludged' blood flow (especially in the
microcirculation) in both conditions."
Abstract Information:
- The abstract entitled "Pro-coagulant Actions of Circulating
Microparticles in Sickle Cell Anemia and Sepsis Associated
Coagulopathy and their Modulation by a Triblock Polymer MST-188"
will be presented by Jaweed Fareed,
Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Pharmacology at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine;
- The abstract is available on the Company's website at
http://www.masttherapeutics.com/technology/publications/.
About Mast Therapeutics
Mast Therapeutics, Inc. is a
publicly traded biopharmaceutical company headquartered in
San Diego, California. The
Company is leveraging the MAST (Molecular Adhesion and Sealant
Technology) platform, derived from over two decades of clinical,
nonclinical and manufacturing experience with purified and
non-purified poloxamers, to develop MST-188, its lead product
candidate, for serious or life-threatening diseases and conditions
typically characterized by impaired microvascular blood flow and
damaged cell membranes.
The Company is enrolling subjects in EPIC, a pivotal Phase 3
study of MST-188 in sickle cell disease, and in a Phase 2 study to
evaluate whether MST-188 improves the effectiveness of recombinant
tissue plasminogen activator therapy in patients with acute limb
ischemia. The Company also is planning to initiate a Phase 2
clinical study of MST-188 in patients with acute decompensated
heart failure in the first half of 2015. More information can be
found on the Company's web site at www.masttherapeutics.com.
(Twitter: @MastThera)
Mast Therapeutics™ and the corporate logo are trademarks of Mast
Therapeutics, Inc.
Forward Looking Statements
Mast Therapeutics cautions
you that statements included in this press release that are not a
description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that
are based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions.
Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements relating to prospects for successful development of the
Company's product candidates, including MST-188 in sickle cell
disease, and anticipated timing of achievement of development
milestones, including commencement of clinical studies. Among the
factors that could cause or contribute to material differences
between the Company's actual results and the expectations indicated
by the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties that
include, but are not limited to: the uncertainty of outcomes in
ongoing and future studies of the Company's product candidates and
the risk that its product candidates, including MST-188, may not
demonstrate adequate safety, efficacy or tolerability in one or
more such studies, including EPIC; delays in the commencement or
completion of clinical studies, including as a result of
difficulties in obtaining regulatory agency agreement on clinical
development plans or clinical study design, opening trial sites,
enrolling study subjects, manufacturing sufficient quantities of
clinical trial material, being subject to a "clinical hold," and/or
suspension or termination of a clinical study, including due to
patient safety concerns or lack of funding; the potential for
institutional review boards or the FDA or other regulatory agencies
to require additional nonclinical or clinical studies prior to
initiation of a planned clinical study of a product candidate; the
risk that, even if clinical studies are successful, the FDA or
other regulatory agencies may determine they are not sufficient to
support a new drug application; the potential that, even if
clinical studies of a product candidate in one indication are
successful, clinical studies in another indication may not be
successful; the Company's reliance on contract research
organizations (CROs), contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs),
and other third parties to assist in the conduct of important
aspects of development of its product candidates, including
clinical studies, manufacturing, and regulatory activities for its
product candidates, and that such third parties may fail to perform
as expected; the Company's ability to obtain additional funding on
a timely basis or on acceptable terms, or at all; the potential for
the Company to delay, reduce or discontinue current and/or planned
development activities, including clinical studies, partner its
product candidates at inopportune times or pursue less expensive
but higher-risk and/or lower return development paths if it is
unable to raise sufficient additional capital as needed; the risk
that, even if the Company successfully develops a product candidate
in one or more indications, it may not realize commercial success
with its products and may never generate revenue sufficient to
achieve profitability; the risk that the Company is not able to
adequately protect its intellectual property rights relating to the
MAST platform and MST-188 or AIR001 and prevent competitors from
duplicating or developing equivalent versions of its product
candidates; and other risks and uncertainties more fully described
in the Company's press releases and periodic filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company's public filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available at
www.sec.gov.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date when made. Mast
Therapeutics does not intend to revise or update any
forward-looking statement set forth in this press release to
reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof,
except as may be required by law.
Logo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/LA22456LOGO-a
SOURCE Mast Therapeutics, Inc.