Ceragenix Compound Demonstrates Promising In Vitro Results Against Bladder Cancer.DENVER -- Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that in vitro in vitro /in vi·tro/ (in ve´tro) [L.] within a glass; observable in a test tube; in an artificial environment. in vi·tro adj. In an artificial environment outside a living organism. research conducted at the Urology Clinic of the University of the Saarlandes, Germany has shown that one of Ceragenix's lead compounds was able to significantly inhibit bladder cancer bladder cancer Malignant tumour of the bladder. The most significant risk factor associated with bladder cancer is smoking. Exposure to chemicals called arylamines, which are used in the leather, rubber, printing, and textiles industries, is another risk factor. growth with minimal toxicity to normal cells. Ceragenix plans to test this compound for efficacy in an animal model. Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States with over 50,000 cases and over 12,000 deaths annually. According to the National Cancer Institute's Fact Sheet, over 449,000 Americans were living with bladder cancer in 2002. It is estimated that over 600,000 Americans are living with bladder cancer in 2006 and that number will continue to climb as our society ages. The recurrence rate for bladder cancer is 70 percent. Ceragenix is developing a class of small molecule compounds that mimic the activity of the naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides that form part of the human body's innate immune system
Dr. Jinguo Chen of the Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) is the medical campus at Georgetown University. It is co-located with Georgetown University Hospital on the University's main campus in Washington, DC. , writing in the June 2005 issue of Cancer Research about his research on an antimicrobial peptide found in the horseshoe crab, observed that: "Small peptides represent a promising new group of compounds in the fight against cancer. Of particular interest are naturally occurring peptides that have antimicrobial activity, many of which also have antitumor an·ti·tu·mor also an·ti·tu·mor·al adj. Counteracting or preventing the formation of malignant tumors; anticancer. Adj. 1. activity." Steven Porter, Chairman and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Ceragenix stated: "Our compounds, while mimicking the activity of naturally occurring peptides are simpler to manufacture and are not subject to protease protease /pro·te·ase/ (pro´te-as) endopeptidase. pro·te·ase n. Any of various enzymes, including the proteinases and peptidases, that catalyze the hydrolytic breakdown of proteins. degradation. We look forward to moving this promising compound into animal studies in the next few months. If the compound shows continued promise we will seek a pharmaceutical partner with the experience to bring the drug to market." About Ceragenins(TM) Ceragenins(TM), or CSAs, are synthetically produced small molecule chemical compounds comprised of a sterol Sterol Any of a group of naturally occurring or synthetic organic compounds with a steroid ring structure, having a hydroxyl (—OH) group, usually attached to carbon-3. backbone with amino acids and other chemical groups attached to them. These compounds have a net positive charge that is electrostatically attracted to the negatively charged cell membranes of certain viruses, fungi and bacteria. CSAs have a high binding affinity for such membranes (including Lipid A) and are able to rapidly disrupt the target membranes leading to rapid cell death. While CSAs have a mechanism of action that is also seen in antimicrobial peptides, which form part of the body's innate immune system, they avoid many of the difficulties associated with their use as medicines. About CERAGENIX Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCBB OTCBB See OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB). : CGXP) is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes novel anti-infective drugs based on its proprietary class of compounds, Ceragenins(TM) (or CSAs). Active against a broad range of gram positive and negative bacteria, these agents are being developed as anti-infective medical device coatings (Ceracides(TM)) and as therapeutics for antibiotic-resistant organisms. Ceragenix further owns exclusive rights to Barrier Repair Technology for the treatment of dermatological disorders including atopic dermatitis Atopic Dermatitis Definition Eczema is a general term used to describe a variety of conditions that cause an itchy, inflamed skin rash. Atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema, is a non-contagious disorder characterized by chronically inflamed skin and , neonatal skin disorders and others. Ceragenix's patented Barrier Repair Technology, invented by Dr. Peter Elias and licensed from the University of California The University of California has a combined student body of more than 191,000 students, over 1,340,000 living alumni, and a combined systemwide and campus endowment of just over $7.3 billion (8th largest in the United States). , is the platform for the development of two prescription topical creams--EpiCeram(R) and NeoCeram(R). Ceragenix recently received 510K marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its EpiCeram(R) Skin Barrier Emulsion to improve dry skin conditions and to relieve and manage the burning and itching associated with various dermatoses including atopic dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis irritant contact dermatitis Occupational dermatology A form of CD that usually affects the hands and arms, caused by acids, alkalis; the intensity of skin response reflects intrinsic nature of the chemical, its concentration, and duration of contact Clinical , radiation dermatitis, and other dry skin conditions by maintaining a moist wound and skin environment. For additional information on Ceragenix, please visit www.ceragenix.com. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain forward-looking statements. 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 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the ability of the Company to raise sufficient capital to finance its planned activities, receiving the necessary marketing clearance approvals from the United States Food and Drug Administration United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), n.pr a unit of the Public Health Service created to protect the health of the nation against impure and unsafe foods, drugs, and cosmetics. (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. "), successful clinical trials of the Company's planned products, the ability of the Company to commercialize its planned products, market acceptance of the Company's planned products, the Company's ability to successfully develop its licensed compounds, alone or in cooperation with others, into commercial products, the ability of the Company to successfully prosecute and protect its intellectual property, and the Company's ability to hire, manage and retain qualified personnel. The aforementioned factors do not represent an all inclusive list. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. In particular, important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include general economic factors, business strategies, the state of capital markets, regulatory conditions, and other factors not currently known to us, may be significant, now or in the future, and these factors may affect us to a greater extent than indicated. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth in this press release and in other documents that we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission including our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB and Current Reports on Form 8-KSB to be filed in 2006. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |
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