Procyon BioPharma announces patents issued for prostate cancer treatment and colorectal cancer screening test

Procyon BioPharma, Inc. (London, Canada; 519-432-8486) announced that Japanese patent 2806634 covering the company's novel PSP94-based anticancer therapeutics and Australian patent 687939 protecting the company's COLOPATH screening-test for colorectal cancer have issued.

"These two patents expand Procyon BioPharma's patent portfolio to 7 issued and 14 applications pending. The company will continue to pursue a strong proprietary position for our PSP94 and ANA-based anticancer platform technologies and both of our late-stage product opportunities," said Dr. Chandra Panchal, president and chief executive officer of Procyon BioPharma Inc.

The Japanese patent covers the use of PSP94 as an anti-cancer therapeutic. Procyon BioPharma researchers have demonstrated that PSP94 binds to specific receptors on the surface of prostate cancer cells and reduces tumour growth by up to 50% in experimental animal models. In North America, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men and the second leading cause of death in men over the age of 55. The company plans to advance a therapeutic candidate targeting hormone refractory prostate cancer into clinical trials by the end of 1999. Patents protecting the company's PSP94 anti-cancer therapeutics have previously issued in the United States and Australia and are pending in Canada and Europe.

The Australian patent covers COLOPATH, a rapid point-of-care screening test that identifies a novel analyte present in rectal mucous of individuals more likely to have colorectal cancer or large polyps. Colorectal cancer is estimated to strike 131,600 people in 1998 and cause 56,500 deaths in the United States. Annual screening for colorectal cancer is recommended for more than 60 million North Americans who are over the age of 50. Colorectal cancer identified at an early stage is cured over 90% of the time and identification and removal of polyps identified by colorectal cancer screening may reduce the incidence of the disease itself. Patents protecting COLOPATH have previously issued in the United States and are pending in Canada and Europe.

Procyon BioPharma is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative products for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. The company is advancing a broad pipeline of products based on its proprietary Antinuclear Auto-Antibody and Prostate Secretory Protein (PSP94) technologies. Procyon BioPharma also has two products in late-stage development, COLOPATH, a rapid, point-of-care screening test for colorectal cancer, and FIBROSTAT, a topical therapeutic cream designed to prevent hypertrophic scarring following surgery or serious burns. The company has research facilities in London, Ontario and Boston, Massachusetts.