Ibex Receives U.S. Patent for Recombinant Forms of Heparinase II and Heparinase III.MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1997--(ME:IBT.) (TSE See Tokyo Stock Exchange. TSE 1. See Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). 2. See Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE). :IBT.) IBEX Technologies Inc. today announced that it has received notification from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that its patent application for recombinant forms of Flavobacterium heparinum derived Heparinase II and Heparinase III has issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,681,733. This patent further extends IBEX's substantial patent base for glycosaminoglycan glycosaminoglycan /gly·cos·ami·no·gly·can/ (gli?kos-ah-me?no-gli´kan) any of a group of high molecular weight linear polysaccharides with various disaccharide repeating units and usually occurring in proteoglycans, including the lyase lyase /ly·ase/ (li´as) any of a class of enzymes that remove groups from their substrates (other than by hydrolysis or oxidation), leaving double bonds, or that conversely add groups to double bonds. enzymes. Patent claims cover the isolated, recombinant forms of Flavobacterium heparinum Heparinase II and Heparinase III which are expressed in other microorganisms. Heparinase III is an enzyme which specifically cleaves heparan sulfate (HS) groups on cells and tissues. IBEX's Heparinase III (IBT 9302) is currently in the preclinical stage of development for use in the treatment of reperfusion injury, restenosis and wound healing. Following intravenous administration, Heparinase III cleaves HS binding sites for L-selectin, P-selectin, and chemokines that are expressed or released during ischemia/reperfusion, allowing them to be swept away in the blood stream. Because of this selective reactivity, this enzyme has demonstrated therapeutic utility in animal models of myocardial myocardial /myo·car·di·al/ (-kahr´de-al) pertaining to the muscular tissue of the heart. myocardial pertaining to the muscular tissue of the heart (the myocardium). ischemia/reperfusion, ischemic stroke and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome MODS, previously known as multiple organ failure (MOF), is altered organ function in an acutely ill patient requiring medical intervention to perform homeostasis. following remote ischemia/reperfusion. Heparinase III also cleaves the HS binding sites involved in localization and high affinity binding for growth factors (including FGF, PDGF PDGF platelet-derived growth factor; interacting with cell surface receptors and stimulating hydrolysis of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3). and TGF() on vascular smooth muscle Vascular smooth muscle refers to the particular type of smooth muscle found within, and composing the majority of the wall of blood vessels. Vascular smooth muscle contracts or relaxes to both change the volume of blood vessels and the local blood pressure, a mechanism that cells (VSMC). Thus, this enzyme has potential utility in the selective removal of HS from VSMC to eliminate early proliferative and migratory responses of VSMC following angioplasty. Administration of Heparinase III has been shown to reduce restenosis following angioplasty in animal models. Heparinase III, as well as Heparinase II, can be used topically to release growth factors and HS fragments from cells and extracellular matrix, making them available locally. In cellular and animal model systems, these released growth factors and HS fragments promote wound healing by increasing cell migration and proliferation into wounds. "Heparinase III could play an important role in the management of acute ischemic Ischemic An inadequate supply of blood to a part of the body, caused by partial or total blockage of an artery. Mentioned in: Antiangiogenic Therapy, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Ventricular Fibrillation ischemic disease and this important patent further protects our interests in this area," said Paul Baehr, IBEX Chairman & CEO. IBEX Technologies Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing enzyme-based therapeutics primarily for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. CONTACT: Ibex Technologies Paul Baehr, 514/344-4004 or Robert Heft, 514/344-4004 |
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