Data on Hemosphere's new hemostatic agent presented at International Congress on Thrombosis and Haemostasis; bleeding time shortened in preclinical studies.

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 1995--Hemosphere Inc., a privately held Irvine, Calif., biopharmaceutical company, reported preclinical data on the company's first product, Thrombosphere synthetic platelets, at the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis in Jerusalem this week.

In vivo studies in severely thrombocytopenic rabbits indicate that Thrombospheres appear to be a safe hemostatic agent in that doses larger than needed for hemostatic efficacy in thrombocytopenic animals showed no thrombogenicity.

"What makes these synthetic platelets so unique is our highly specific drug deliverytechnology, which is based on novel protein microspheres," said Richard C.K. Yen, M.D., Ph.D., founder, chairman and chief technical officer of Hemosphere. "We have two issued patents on protein microspheres that utilize biological agents to activate and participate in key processes. Product applications are designed to serve only where needed in the body. Thrombospheres, for example, function like natural platelets, honing in on a wound, sticking immediately to it, and forming a clot in response to factors present at the wound site," he said.

"Our initial treatment target is cancer patients whose natural platelet function has been destroyed by intensive chemotherapy and who are therefore at great risk of uncontrolled bleeding," Yen added. "The medical need for these patients is significant."

Approximately 7 million platelet transfusions are given yearly in the U.S., primarily in emergency bleeding situations. These platelets come from volunteer donors and, like organ transplants, should match with the patient's tissue type. Unfortunately, matching is usually not possible, so the body develops antibody reactions which prevent additional platelet transfusions from being effective. Thrombosphere synthetic platelets are designed to provide a safe, cost-effective alternative in a treatment area where no competing product is currently available.

"Hemosphere is focused on targeted drug delivery and our technology is easily applicable to the delivery of a variety of drugs, including anti-cancer and gene therapy agents," Yen said. "Our targeted approach offers the potential to increase therapeutic efficacy and also avoid toxic drug side effects beyond the target site. Hemosphere's long-term objective is to pursue both therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities ourselves and in partnership with other corporations."

CONTACT: Hemosphere Inc., Irvine

Richard C.K. Yen, 714/450-8555