AVI BioPharma Scientists to Present Novel Antisense Approach For Prostate Cancer and Emerging Infectious Diseases at Conferences Worldwide.Business Editors, Health/Medical Writers Oligonucleotides in Drug Discovery & Development Conference Conference on Superbugs superbugs, n.pl infectious diseases that are unresponsive to known antibiotic treatments. and Superdrugs PORTLAND, Ore.--(BW HealthWire)--March 4, 2002 AVI BioPharma Inc. (Nasdaq:AVII)(Nasdaq:AVIIW)(Nasdaq:AVIIZ) today announced that company scientists will present research data at two academic conferences regarding the use of its NEUGENE(R) antisense technology platform to address prostate cancer and infectious diseases. On Tuesday, March 5, Gayathri Devi, Ph.D., principal scientist of AVI BioPharma's Cancer Program, will speak at the Strategic Research Institute's Oligonucleotides in Drug Discovery & Development conference on the topic of prostate cancer. On Thursday, March 7, Patrick L. Iversen, Ph.D., senior vice president of Research & Development for AVI BioPharma, will discuss antisense therapies for emerging infectious diseases at SMi's third annual conference on Superbugs and Superdrugs -- Innovations in Anti-Infectives in London. NEUGENE Antisense Technology for Treatment of Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is the second most frequent cause of cancer death in American males. AVI's research on prostate cancer, which has been partially funded through a grant from the Department of Defense, has shown that NEUGENE antisense technology has had an effect on halting cell growth of refractory cancer cells in prostate cancer. Dr. Devi's presentation will expand on this data and show that novel agents that modulate apoptosis and androgen-dependent status are of major therapeutic value. NEUGENE Antisense Technology for Treatment of Infectious Diseases AVI's NEUGENE antisense chemistry is considered to be particularly well-suited for viral applications due to its neutral ionic charge and high degree of specificity compared with earlier generations of antisense, including phosphorothioate chemistry. Antisense agents have been used to interfere with the gene expression of other human viral pathogens, including hepatitis B virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus Herpes simplex virus A virus that can cause fever and blistering on the skin, mucous membranes, or genitalia. Mentioned in: Conjunctivitis herpes simplex virus and human immunodeficiency virus human immunodeficiency virus n. HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) A transmissible retrovirus that causes AIDS in humans. (HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. ). "AVI is aggressively pursuing therapies for a variety of cancers and infectious diseases," said Denis Denis, king of Portugal: see Diniz. R. Burger, Ph.D., AVI's chief executive officer. "We view these conferences as important opportunities for our scientists to not only share information and ideas, but also get feedback from our peers on how best to tackle some of these major healthcare issues." SPEAKING TIMES FOR DR. DEVI AND DR. IVERSEN Strategic Research Institute's Oligonucleotides in Drug Discovery & Development Conference Where: Ocean Place Beachfront Conference Center & Resort, Long Branch, N.J. When: March 4-5, 2002 Speaker: Dr. Gayathri Devi, principal scientist, Cancer Program, AVI BioPharma Speech date: March 5 Speech time: 1:45 p.m. SMi's Third Annual Conference on Superbugs and Superdrugs -- Innovations in Anti-Infectives Where: The Hatton, 51-53 Hatton Garden, London When: March 6-7, 2002 Speaker: Dr. Patrick L. Iversen, senior vice president, Research & Development, AVI BioPharma Speech date: March 7 Speech time: 9:40 a.m. AVI BIOPHARMA AT OTHER UPCOMING SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES March 17-21 SOT in Nashville, Tenn. April 6-10 AACR AACR American Association for Cancer Research AACR Anglo-American Cataloging Rules AACR Australasian Association of Cancer Registries AACR African Armed Conflicts Resolved in San Francisco April 20-24 FASEB FASEB Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in New Orleans May 18-21 ASCO ASCO American Society of Clinical Oncology ASCO Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (since 1941; Rockville, Maryland) ASCO Australian Standard Classification of Occupations ASCO Automatic Switch Company in Orlando, Fla. May 19-23 ASM in Salt Lake City July 7-12 IUPHAR IUPHAR International Union of Pharmacology IUPHAR International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology in San Francisco About AVI BioPharma AVI BioPharma develops therapeutic products for the treatment of life-threatening diseases using two technology platforms: NEUGENE antisense drugs and cancer immunotherapy. Its lead cancer agent, AVICINE(R), a therapeutic cancer vaccine, has completed three Phase II trials in colorectal and pancreatic cancer and is in a Phase III pivotal trial in colorectal cancer. The first application of its NEUGENE compounds, Resten-NG, is designed to treat cancer, cardiovascular restenosis and other cell proliferation disorders by inhibiting the production of a cellular transcription factor, the oncogene oncogene Gene that can cause cancer. It is a sequence of DNA that has been altered or mutated from its original form, the proto-oncogene (see mutation). Proto-oncogenes promote the specialization and division of normal cells. c-myc. It is currently in Phase II trials for restenosis and in Phase I/II trials for 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. . More information about AVI is available on the Company's Web site at http://www.avibio.com/. "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 Companies' Securities and Exchange Commission filings. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion