PharmaCyte Biotech Launches Malignant Ascites Program with Commencement of Pivotal Preclinical Study
November 30 2021 - 1:05AM
Business Wire
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: PMCB), a biotechnology company
focused on developing cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes
using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology,
Cell-in-a-Box®, announced today the commencement of a pivotal study
to determine if the treatment PharmaCyte uses for locally advanced,
inoperable pancreatic cancer—Cell-in-a-Box (CypCaps™) combined with
the cancer killing prodrug ifosfamide—can also delay the rate of
production and accumulation of malignant ascites. This is fluid
that accumulates in the abdominal cavity from various cancers.
PharmaCyte’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, said,
“We are enthusiastic to relaunch our malignant ascites program and
resume our work on developing a treatment for malignant ascites. We
plan to conduct another preclinical study in Germany with
Heidelberg Pharma that mimics an earlier study which showed the
production of malignant ascites can be delayed by our cancer
treatment. The cancer cells we will be using in the study have been
ordered, and the design of the protocol is underway.
“The Chairman of our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, Dr.
Matthias L�hr, is overseeing the study. We will be using the same
animal study model that Dr. L�hr used in the earlier study that
showed promise.”
Malignant ascites is fluid secreted by abdominal tumors which
includes liver, breast, colon, stomach, intestine, ovarian and
uterine cancers. This fluid contains cancer cells that can seed and
form new tumors throughout the abdomen. Malignant ascites
accumulates in the abdominal cavity, causing swelling of the
abdomen, severe breathing difficulties and extreme pain. It must be
removed on a periodic basis, which is painful and costly.
Currently, there is no available therapy that prevents or delays
the production and accumulation of malignant ascites. PharmaCyte
plans to change the treatment landscape for malignant ascites fluid
using its treatment.
To learn more about PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer treatment and
how it works inside the body to treat locally advanced, inoperable
pancreatic cancer, we encourage you to watch the company’s
documentary video complete with medical animations at:
https://www.PharmaCyte.com/Cancer
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. is a biotechnology company developing
cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary
cellulose-based live cell encapsulation technology known as
“Cell-in-a-Box®.” This technology is being used as a platform upon
which therapies for several types of cancer and diabetes are being
developed.
PharmaCyte’s therapy for cancer involves encapsulating
genetically engineered human cells that convert an inactive
chemotherapy drug into its active or “cancer-killing” form. For
pancreatic cancer, these encapsulated cells are implanted in the
blood supply to the patient’s tumor as close as possible to the
site of the tumor. Once implanted, a chemotherapy drug that is
normally activated in the liver (ifosfamide) is given intravenously
at one-third the normal dose. The ifosfamide is carried by the
circulatory system to where the encapsulated cells have been
implanted. When the ifosfamide flows through pores in the capsules,
the live cells inside act as a “bio-artificial liver” and activate
the chemotherapy drug at the site of the cancer. This “targeted
chemotherapy” has proven effective and safe to use in past clinical
trials and we believe results in little to no treatment related
side effects.
PharmaCyte’s therapy for Type 1 diabetes and insulin-dependent
Type 2 diabetes involves encapsulating a human cell line that has
been genetically engineered to produce and release insulin in
response to the levels of blood sugar in the human body. The
encapsulation of the cell line will be done using the Cell-in-a-Box
technology. Once the encapsulated cells are implanted in a diabetic
patient, we anticipate that they will function as a “bio-artificial
pancreas” for purposes of insulin production.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
that express the current beliefs and expectations of the management
of PharmaCyte. Any statements contained herein that do not describe
historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results,
performance, and achievements to differ materially from those
discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could
affect our actual results include our ability to raise the
necessary capital to fund our operations and to find partners to
supplement our capabilities and resources, our ability to
satisfactorily address the issues raised by the FDA in order to
have the clinical hold on our IND removed, as well as such other
factors that are included in the periodic reports on Form 10-K and
Form 10-Q that we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission. These forward- looking statements are made only as of
the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise
the forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by
law, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at
www.PharmaCyte.com. Information may
also be obtained by contacting PharmaCyte’s Investor Relations
Department.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211129005760/en/
Investor Relations: Dr. Gerald W. Crabtree PharmaCyte
Biotech, Inc. Telephone: 917.595.2856 Email:
InvestorRelations@PharmaCyte.com
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