Vion Pharmaceutical, Inc.and Yale University presented preclinical data that although Vion's unarmed TAPET® bacteria and radiotherapy alone slowed tumor growth and prolonged survival, the combination of the two prolonged survival as much as 50% over the best results obtained with radiotherapy alone. The therapy was evaluated against solid tumor models such as melanoma, mammary and colon carcinomas in mice.
The data were presented at the 91st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). TAPET is the designation for Salmonella typhimurium that has been modified to allow safe, systemic administration, and has been shown in preclinical models to preferentially replicate and accumulate in tumors, achieving high tumor to normal tissue ratios. These preclinical results suggest that TAPET technology could improve the outcome for some solid tumors that are treated primarily by radiation. The studies were conducted in the laboratory of John M. Pawelek, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine, and one of the founders of the TAPET technology.
Alan Kessman, president and CEO of Vion, commented, "When Vion began to develop TAPET, the primary focus was to evaluate its use as a drug delivery vector for cancer. We learned early on that the unarmed TAPET vector alone demonstrated excellent antitumor activity, primarily seen as inhibition of tumor growth. We concluded that the unarmed TAPET vector could, by itself, have benefit for cancer patients. Dr. Pawelek's preclinical data, showing that combinations of TAPET with radiotherapy demonstrate superior antitumor effects, provide further rationale for the development of the unarmed TAPET vector. We are currently evaluating the timelines and resources required to initiate future combination studies. These studies of unarmed TAPET vectors in combination with traditional therapies are in addition to our planned studies of armed TAPET vectors."
TAPET® (Tumor Amplified Protein Expression Therapy), Vion's core platform technology, are highly attenuated bacteria that, in preclinical studies, have demonstrated preferential replication in tumors compared to normal tissues. The bioengineered bacteria have demonstrated an excellent safety profile in preclinical toxicology studies. Preferential replication allows the bacteria to produce and deliver a variety of anticancer therapeutic products at high concentrations to tumors while minimizing toxicity to normal tissues.
By bringing the "drug factory" preferentially to the tumor, Vion believes that TAPET may result in a cancer therapy that is more concentrated, more effective and less toxic to normal tissue. Furthermore, the unarmed bacteria by themselves have shown good antitumor activity in animal models. Vion plans to develop the unarmed TAPET alone as an antitumor agent and to develop second-generation products that produce and deliver potent therapeutic anticancer agents.
Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of cancer treatment technologies. Vion's product portfolio consists of TAPET®, a drug delivery platform, and three cancer therapeutics (Promycin®, Triapine® and Sulfonyl Hydrazine Prodrugs).
TAPET has been shown in preclinical models to effectively deliver anticancer agents while having a minimal toxic effect on healthy normal tissues. TAPET uses genetically altered strains of Salmonella as a bacterial vector, or vehicle, for delivering cancer-fighting drugs preferentially to solid tumors. Promycin, which attacks oxygen depleted cancer cells, is currently being evaluated with radiation in a multicenter Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Triapine, which is designed to prevent the replication of tumor cells by blocking a critical step in the synthesis of DNA, is currently being evaluated for its safety in a Phase I clinical trial.
Sulfonyl Hydrazine Prodrugs, compounds that are designed to be converted to unique potent, alkylating agents, are currently being evaluated in preclinical studies.
For additional information on Vion and its research and product development programs, visit the company's Internet web site at www.vionpharm.com
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COMPANY CONTACT: Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT: Sue L. Yeoh (investors)
Alan Kessman, President and CEO
Thomas E. Klein, VP Finance & CFO
203-498-4210 ph
201-641-2408 ph
Lisa Bradlow (media)
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