PharmaCyte Biotech's International Diabetes Consortium Sets Path Forward to Develop Novel Treatment for Diabetes
February 10 2015 - 9:00AM
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB:PMCB), a clinical stage
biotechnology company focused on developing targeted treatments for
cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation
technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, today announced that its international
Diabetes Consortium has met to develop the path forward for the
development of a novel treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes and
that it has appointed Dr. Eva Maria Brandtner Director of Diabetes
Program Development. The meeting brought together all members of
the Consortium to plan the necessary preclinical studies that will
be required to advance its Cell-in-a-Box® live-cell encapsulated
product for the treatment of diabetes. These studies will be used
as a basis to prepare for future clinical trials in humans with
diabetes. Dr. Brandtner will lead the planned work of the
Consortium.
In addition to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating
Officer of PharmaCyte Biotech, the Consortium is made up of
well-known scientists from leading Universities in Munich, Germany,
Vienna, Austria, and Sydney, Australia. It also involves members of
the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, the Vorarlberg
Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment (VIVIT) in
Feldkirch, Austria and the biotech company Austrianova.
Dr. Brandtner of VIVIT, who is a consultant for PharmaCyte
Biotech, previously served as the Chief Scientist with Austrianova.
In that role, she conducted preclinical studies with Melligen cells
- human cells engineered to produce, store and secrete insulin at
levels that are in direct proportion to the levels of glucose
(blood sugar) in the human body. PharmaCyte Biotech has obtained
from the University of Sydney (UTS) in Australia an exclusive,
worldwide license to use the Melligen cells in the development of
PharmaCyte Biotech's treatment for diabetes.
Prof. Ann. M Simpson and her colleagues at the UTS developed the
Melligen cell line. Prof. Simpson is a member of the Consortium and
also serves as a consultant to PharmaCyte Biotech. In addition to
key personnel from PharmaCyte Biotech, Dr. Brandtner and Prof.
Simpson, the Consortium includes principals from our partner
Austrianova, namely Prof. Walter H. Günzburg, the Chief Scientific
Officer of PharmaCyte Biotech and the Chief Technical Officer of
Austrianova, and Dr. Brian Salmons, the CEO of Austrianova and a
member of the PharmaCyte Biotech Scientific Advisory Board. Prof.
Günzburg and Dr. Salmons are co-developers of the Cell-in-a-Box®
technology. Also part of the Consortium is Dr. Constantine
Konstantoulas from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
(VetMed) where many of the initial preclinical studies will be done
to develop PharmaCyte Biotech's diabetes treatment. The studies
with the Melligen cells are already underway at VetMed and are
being coordinated by Dr. Konstantoulas.
Other members of the Diabetes Consortium include the outstanding
research scientists Prof. Eckhard Wolf and Prof. Rüdiger Wanke from
the Ludwig-Maximillian University in Munich, Germany. Both,
together with their colleagues at that University, have developed
unique animal models for insulin-dependent diabetes. Finally, noted
European gastroenterologist and oncologist, Prof. Dr. Matthias Löhr
of the renowned Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, will
play a major role in overseeing the development of PharmaCyte
Biotech's diabetes treatment. Prof. Dr. Löhr is an expert in the
treatment of diabetes and has extensive experience in the clinic
using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology because he served as Principal
Investigator for the early-phase clinical trials that involved the
combination of that technology and the cancer drug ifosfamide.
Prof. Löhr is a consultant to PharmaCyte Biotech and serves as the
Chairman of PharmaCyte Biotech's Scientific Advisory Board.
Kenneth L. Waggoner, the Chief Executive Officer of PharmaCyte
Biotech, said, "The latest meeting of our international Diabetes
Consortium was extremely productive. We are extremely pleased that
Dr. Brandtner has assumed a leadership role in the Consortium.
Every member of the Consortium is united in the belief that
encapsulated human cells that have been reprogrammed to respond to
blood sugar levels in a human suffering from diabetes is the way
forward to develop a unique and effective treatment for
insulin-dependent diabetes. Our most recent meeting has resulted in
the laser-focused planning of the steps required to be able to
reach this goal. The preclinical studies are already underway, and
every member of our international Diabetes Consortium is dedicated
and focused on developing a novel and effective treatment for
diabetes. We are very fortunate to have so many outstanding
professionals working in concert to achieve this goal."
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company
focused on developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for
cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live
cell encapsulation technology known as Cell-in-a-Box®. This unique
and patented technology will be used as a platform upon which
treatments for several types of cancer, including advanced,
inoperable pancreatic cancer, and diabetes are being built.
PharmaCyte Biotech's treatment for pancreatic cancer involves low
doses of the well-known anticancer prodrug ifosfamide, together
with encapsulated live cells, which convert ifosfamide into its
active or "cancer-killing" form. These capsules are placed as close
to the cancerous tumor as possible to enable the delivery of the
highest levels of the cancer-killing drug at the source of the
cancer. This "targeted chemotherapy" has proven remarkably
effective in past clinical trials. PharmaCyte Biotech is also
working towards improving the quality of life for patients with
advanced pancreatic cancer and on treatments for other types of
solid cancerous tumors. In addition, PharmaCyte Biotech is
developing treatments for cancer based upon chemical constituents
of the Cannabis plant, known as cannabinoids. In doing so,
PharmaCyte Biotech is examining ways to exploit the benefits of
Cell-in-a-Box® technology in optimizing the anticancer
effectiveness of cannabinoids, while minimizing or outright
eliminating the debilitating side effects usually associated with
cancer treatments. This provides PharmaCyte Biotech the rare
opportunity to develop "green" approaches to fighting deadly
diseases, such as cancer of the pancreas, brain and breast, which
affect hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide every
year.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
regarding PharmaCyte Biotech and its future events and results that
involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate,"
"believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan" and similar
expressions, as they relate to PharmaCyte Biotech or its
management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of
PharmaCyte Biotech, could cause actual results to differ materially
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. They
include PharmaCyte's ability to continue as a going concern, delays
or unsuccessful results in preclinical and clinical trials, flaws
or defects regarding its product candidates, changes in relevant
legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection
of PharmaCyte Biotech's intellectual property and PharmaCyte
Biotech's continued ability to raise capital. PharmaCyte Biotech
does not assume any obligation to update any of these
forward-looking statements.
More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at
www.PharmaCyteBiotech.com. It can also be obtained by contacting
Investor Relations.
CONTACT: Investor Relations Contacts:
Jamien Jones
Blueprint Life Science Group
Telephone: 415.375.3340 Ext. 103
jjones@bplifescience.com