Yale Researchers to Present Data at AACR Conference Indicating That Novogen Compound NV-128 Uses mTOR Pathway to Induce Cell Dea
March 25 2008 - 8:01AM
Marketwired
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA and NEW CANAAN, CT at www.aacr.org. The
abstract, describing work undertaken by Professor Gil Mor and
colleagues at the Yale University School of Medicine, indicates
that the compound NV-128, developed by Novogen Limited (ASX: NRT)
(NASDAQ: NVGN), may be useful for the maintenance of remission in
chemo-resistant ovarian cancer.
NV-128 is able to induce cell death through the inhibition of
the mTOR pathway in cancer cells. NV-128 inhibition of the mTOR
pathway results in caspase-independent apoptosis and autophagy.
Only a few other compounds are in the mTOR antagonist class,
providing an alternative to drug candidates reliant on caspase
dependent cell death as their mechanism of action.
At the annual meeting of the Society for Gynecological Oncology
in Tampa, earlier this month, several key speakers addressed the
significance of mTOR antagonists in cancer therapeutics.
mTOR is a key intracellular kinase, integrating proliferation
and survival pathways. In cancer cells, mTOR signals enhance tumour
growth and may be associated with resistance to conventional
therapy. Inhibition of mTOR may shut down many of these survival
pathways, including the proteins protecting the mitochondria. It is
believed that NV-128 affects the catalytic dynamics of mTOR in
order to achieve apoptosis.
NV-128 works differently from therapies that are dependent on
caspases to trigger apoptosis. Through the inhibition of mTOR,
NV-128 is capable of triggering a cascade of events that leads to
mitochondrial damage and cell death. Interestingly, since
NV-128-induced cell death is completely caspase-independent, it
could be effective on cancer cells characterised by high resistance
to cell death and representative of late stage chemorefractory
disease.
About Novogen Limited:
Novogen Limited (ASX: NRT) (NASDAQ: NVGN) is an Australian
biotechnology company that has patented isoflavone technology for
the treatment and prevention of degenerative diseases and
disorders. Over the past ten years, Novogen has conducted the
largest and most comprehensive isoflavone clinical testing programs
in the world. Novogen is involved in drug discovery and product
development for disorders that are commonly associated with aging
and coordinates an international clinical research and development
program with external collaborators, hospitals and universities.
For more information, visit www.novogen.com.
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