SAN DIEGO and TORONTO, Sept. 8,
2014 /PRNewswire/ - Aptose Biosciences Inc. (TSX: APS), a
clinical-stage company developing new therapeutics and molecular
diagnostics that target the underlying mechanisms of cancer, today
announced that Stephen B. Howell,
M.D. will act in the capacity of Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Howell
joins the Aptose team as a medical consultant to provide expert
clinical guidance to the company.
"Dr. Howell brings to Aptose deep industry and
academic experience in translational research and oncology drug
development. His expertise will be invaluable as we set the
course for Phase 2 clinical trials for APTO-253 in acute myeloid
leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes," said William G. Rice, Ph.D., Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer. "We are fortunate to have built an
extraordinarily talented clinical and medical affairs leadership
team and are excited to move APTO-253 into later stage
development."
Dr. Howell is a renowned medical oncologist and
leader in the development of novel drugs and drug delivery systems
for the treatment of cancer and in the discovery of the molecular
and genetic mechanisms underlying drug resistance. He holds the
position of Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Division of
Hematology-Oncology at the University of
California San Diego Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, California, where he also serves as
the co-leader of the Solid Tumor Therapeutics Program and directs
the Cancer Therapeutics Training Program. Dr. Howell is an expert
in experimental therapeutics and in the conduct of clinical trials,
with more than 35 years as a principal investigator in
translational research and investigator- and industry-initiated
research at the preclinical and clinical levels. He managed the
Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center
and executed Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials in hematologic and solid
tumor malignancies, including studies for DepoCyt® (cytarabine
liposome injection), a drug developed in his laboratory. In
addition, he was instrumental in the clinical and pharmacological
evaluation of multiple nucleoside agents, doxorubicin, allopurinol
and dipyridamole. Over the course of his career, Dr. Howell has
founded three pharmaceutical companies and has advanced technology
invented in his laboratory through the clinic and to the
market. He is the author of more than 340 scientific papers
and has held numerous appointments to medical societies, as well as
scientific advisory and editorial boards. In addition, he has
served as a member of the board of directors of several
biopharmaceutical companies and as a member and chairman of Data
Safety Monitoring Committees for large-scale industry trials. Dr.
Howell received his B.A. from the University
of Chicago and M.D. from Harvard
Medical School. He completed his internship and
residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and received
training at the National Institutes of Health before returning to
the Harvard system to complete a
fellowship in medical oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in
Boston.
About APTO-253
APTO-253 (formerly LOR-253) is a novel small
molecule that has demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in cancer
cells via induction of the tumor suppressor gene Krüppel-like
factor 4 (KLF4) and expression of p21, resulting in cell cycle
arrest and apoptosis (programmed cell death). Nonclinical
pharmacology studies demonstrated in vivo anti-tumor
activity against solid tumors and hematologic cancers, and a Phase
1 clinical study in patients with advanced or metastatic solid
tumors demonstrated the agent to be safe, well-tolerated and to
exert promising clinical activity.
A vast majority of patients with acute myeloid
leukemia (AML) exhibit down-regulation of KLF4 expression, which is
directly associated with leukemogenic events, or the onset of
leukemia. In addition to AML, silencing of KLF4 has been
reported to contribute to adult T-cell leukemia, lymphoma, multiple
myeloma and high-risk MDS. Induction of KLF4 expression may
therefore prove an effective therapeutic option in these patient
populations. Aptose is planning to commence in 2014 a
dose-escalating Phase 1b clinical study of APTO-253, followed by
two disease-specific expansion studies planned in adults with
hematologic malignancies in which KLF4 suppression is reported to
be operative.
About Aptose Biosciences
Aptose Biosciences (formerly Lorus Therapeutics
Inc.) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to
discovering and developing personalized therapies addressing unmet
medical needs in oncology. Aptose is advancing new
therapeutics focused on novel cellular targets on the leading edge
of cancer research coupled with companion diagnostics to identify
the optimal patient population for our products. The
company's small molecule cancer therapeutics pipeline includes
products designed to provide additive or synergistic efficacy with
existing anti-cancer therapies and regimens without overlapping
toxicities.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Canadian and U.S. securities laws.
Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements
relating to the Company's plans, objectives, expectations and
intentions and other statements including words such as "continue",
"expect", "intend", "will", "should", "would", "may", and other
similar expressions. Such statements reflect our current views with
respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties
and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and
assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us are inherently
subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political
and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could
cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements described in this press release. Such expressed or
implied forward looking statements could include, among others: our
ability to obtain the capital required for research and operations;
the inherent risks in early stage drug development including
demonstrating efficacy; development time/cost and the regulatory
approval process; the progress of our clinical trials; our ability
to find and enter into agreements with potential partners; our
ability to attract and retain key personnel; changing market
conditions; and other risks detailed from time-to-time in our
ongoing quarterly filings, annual information forms, annual reports
and annual filings with Canadian securities regulators and the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Should one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions set out in the
section entitled "Risk Factors" in our filings with Canadian
securities regulators and the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission underlying those forward-looking statements prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described
herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of
this press release and we do not intend, and do not assume any
obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as
required by law. We cannot assure you that such statements will
prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are
cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements
due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
For further information, please contact:
Aptose Biosciences
Greg Chow, CFO
416-798-1200
gchow@aptose.com
BCC Partners
Karen L. Bergman or Susan Pietropaolo
650-575-1509 or 845-638-6290
kbergman@bccpartners.com or spietropaolo@bccpartners.com
SOURCE Aptose Biosciences Inc.