AVI BioPharma Presents Antisense Approach to Transplant Acceptance By Regulating Activated Lymphocytes.PORTLAND, Ore. -- AVI BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVII), today announced it presented data on its NEUGENE(R) antisense approach to transplant acceptance at the 20th International Congress of the Transplantation Society, held in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 5-10, 2004. The presentation, titled "Antisense Inhibition of cFLIP Promotes Transplant Acceptance by Sensitizing sen·si·tize v. sen·si·tized, sen·si·tiz·ing, sen·si·tiz·es v.tr. 1. To make sensitive: "The polarity principle . . . Responding T Cells to Undergo Activation Induced Apoptosis," was presented by AVI senior scientist Dan Mourich, Ph.D. The findings of the study indicate that specific transplant acceptance can be achieved using AVI's antisense approach and that a novel method for promoting transplant survival without long-term immunosuppressive therapy is possible. When the immune system responds to a foreign tissue transplant, specific immune cells, called lymphocytes, are activated, leading to transplant rejection. During this process a regulatory protein called cFLIP is produced, blocking apoptosis, or programmed cell death pro·grammed cell death n. See apoptosis. programmed cell death proposed system of cell death, often including poly(ADP)-ribosylation, ensures that a cell will not survive if it is so badly damaged that its recovery would harm the , in the activated lymphocytes. The presentation also highlights AVI's improved Cytoporter(TM) technology for selective delivery of NEUGENES to the activated lymphocytes. When AVI used its Cytoporter technology to deliver a specific NEUGENE designed to block the expression of cFLIP, the activated immune cells underwent apoptosis. This resulted in acceptance of the transplant in the animal model without nonspecific immunosuppression immunosuppression Suppression of immunity with drugs, usually to prevent rejection of an organ transplant. Its aim is to allow the recipient to accept the organ permanently with no unpleasant side effects. . "The data presented clearly show that AVI's NEUGENE antisense drugs can be designed to selectively target activated lymphocytes and prevent transplant rejection without nonspecific immune suppression," said Patrick L. Iversen, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development at AVI. "These results suggest that this approach has the potential to improve transplant survival in a wide variety of indications including organ, tissue, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation Stem Cell Transplantation Definition Stem cells are basic human cells that reproduce (replicate) easily, providing a continuous source of new, sometimes different types of cells. ." About AVI BioPharma AVI BioPharma develops therapeutic products for the treatment of life-threatening diseases using two technology platforms: third-generation NEUGENE antisense drugs and cancer immunotherapy. AVI's lead NEUGENE antisense compound is designed to target cell proliferation disorders, including cardiovascular restenosis, cancer and polycystic kidney disease Polycystic Kidney Disease Definition Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common of all life-threatening human genetic disorders. . In addition to targeting specific genes in the body, AVI's antiviral program uses NEUGENE antisense compounds to target single-stranded RNA viruses, including West Nile virus West Nile virus, microorganism and the infection resulting from it, which typically produces no symptoms or a flulike condition. The virus is a flavivirus and is related to a number of viruses that cause encephalitis. , SARS coronavirus, hepatitis C virus
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995: The statements that are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the results of research and development efforts, the results of preclinical and clinical testing, the effect of regulation by the FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. and other agencies, the impact of competitive products, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and other risks detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. |
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