Designed to Find the ``Unforgettable'' Alzheimer's Drug, Samaritan Scientists Engineer ``Forgettable Alzheimer's Rat Model'' to Test New AD Drugs.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers BIOWIRE2K LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2003 Samaritan Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCBB OTCBB See OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB). :SPHC) and Samaritan Research Labs, Georgetown University Georgetown University, in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.; Jesuit; coeducational; founded 1789 by John Carroll, chartered 1815, inc. 1844. Its law and medical schools are noteworthy, and its archives are especially rich in letters and manuscripts by and , announced today it has engineered a scientific tool, a pharmacologic Rat Model, for the testing of new Alzheimer's (AD) drugs. The model moves swiftly through Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. , starting with the onset of AD symptoms and finishing with Alzheimer's-like memory loss, in four weeks. Why It Matters New techniques and methodologies to produce animal models provide researchers with ways to more efficiently study human disease, and the therapeutics that hold promise for those diseases. The use of engineered animal models to explore the selection of appropriate drug targets holds great promise in speeding the development of valuable therapies. These models provide effective ways to test new drug compounds, as well as aid in the weeding out of drug failures; 75 percent of the cost of drug development, is lost on drugs that fail late in the research process. Dr. Janet Greeson, 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 Samaritan Pharmaceuticals, stated, "Rats serve as one of the most important experimental animals, and provide more physiological data than perhaps any other experimental animal." Dr. Greeson further stated, "Companies need to get drugs to market faster; competitive pressures coupled with the increasing costs of drug development, are forcing drug companies to find new ways to rapidly screen drugs." About Alzheimer's - www.Alzforum.org Alzheimer disease Alzheimer disease Degenerative brain disorder. It occurs in middle to late adult life, destroying neurons and connections in the cerebral cortex and resulting in significant loss of brain mass. is the leading cause of dementia among older people. An estimated 10 percent of Americans over the age of 65 and half of those over age 85 have Alzheimer's. More than four million Americans currently suffer from the disease, and the number is projected to balloon to 10-15 million over the next several decades. Alzheimer's is now the third most expensive disease to treat in the U.S., costing society close to $100 billion annually. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030129/SPHCLOGO ) About Samaritan Pharma: "A Little Bridge Can Go a Long Way" Samaritan Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Georgetown University, drives to "bridge the gap" between Universities and potential Pharmaceutical partners. Samaritan advances and accelerates clinical drug testing, to "proof of concept" in humans, thereby, lessening the time breakthrough drugs reach suffering Alzheimer's, Cancer, Cardiovascular, and 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. patients. Samaritan's proprietary platform is based on balancing and modulating the stress hormone Stress hormones such as cortisol and norepinephrine are released at periods of high stress. The hormone regulating system is known as the endocrine system. Cortisol is believed to affect the metabolic system and norepinephrine is believed to play a role in ADHD cortisol cortisol (kôr`tĭsôl') or hydrocortisone, steroid hormone that in humans is the major circulating hormone of the cortex, or outer layer, of the adrenal gland. , counteracting cortisol's neurodegenerative and immunosuppressive Immunosuppressive Any agent that suppresses the immune response of an individual. Mentioned in: Antirheumatic Drugs, Graft-vs.-Host Disease, Immunosuppressant Drugs immunosuppressive 1. pertaining to or inducing immunosuppression. 2. properties. Disclaimer The company disclaims any information that is created by an outside party and endorses only information that is communicated by its press releases, filings and Web site. This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current beliefs about the potential for its drug candidates, science and technology. However, as with any biopharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks and uncertainties in the process of development and regulatory review. There are no guarantees that products will prove to be commercially successful. For additional information about the factors that affect the company's business, please read the company's latest Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. filed May 15, 2003. The company undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements. To receive future press releases and newsletters automatically, or for more information, visit our Web site at www.samaritanpharmaceuticals.com. |
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