“PharmaGap Says Cancer Drug GAP-107B8 Prevents Cancer Cell Growth By ... - RTT News” plus 4 more |
- PharmaGap Says Cancer Drug GAP-107B8 Prevents Cancer Cell Growth By ... - RTT News
- PharmaGap Releases Compelling Results for Gap-107B8 From the U.S ... - PR Inside
- Moving to U.S. tied to higher cancer risks - Reuters
- Mystics Players To Wear Pink Jerseys For Breast Health Awareness Game - OurSports Central
- Robot's Gentle Touch Aids Delicate Cancer Surgery - Science Daily
| PharmaGap Says Cancer Drug GAP-107B8 Prevents Cancer Cell Growth By ... - RTT News Posted: 24 Aug 2009 06:58 AM PDT
(RTTNews) -
PharmaGap Inc. (GAP.V: News , PHRGF.OB) said results from the initial testing of cancer drug GAP-107B8 by the U.S. National Cancer Institute showed significant inhibition of cancer cell growth at a low drug concentration, 10 micronsM, across a wide range of human cancer cell lines that comprise the NCI-60 panel. As currently configured, the NCI-60 panel is comprised of 57 human cancer cell lines derived from 9 different cancers - breast, prostate, renal, ovarian, CNS, colon, lung, melanoma and leukemia. The company indicated that GAP-107B8 demonstrated greater than 50% inhibition in cancer cell growth in 26 of 57 cell lines, 46% of all cell lines, from all 9 cancer types in the panel. Click here to receive FREE breaking news email alerts for PharmaGap Inc. and others in your portfolio by RTT Staff Writer For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| PharmaGap Releases Compelling Results for Gap-107B8 From the U.S ... - PR Inside Posted: 24 Aug 2009 06:30 AM PDT 2009-08-24 15:30:08 - OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 08/24/09 -- PharmaGap Inc. (TSX VENTURE: GAP)(OTCBB: PHRGF) ("PharmaGap" or "the Company") is pleased to announce results from the initial testing of its lead cancer drug GAP-107B8 by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI data clearly demonstrates significant inhibition of cancer cell growth at a low drug concentration (10 micronsM) across a wide range of human cancer cell lines that comprise the NCI-60 panel. As currently configured, the NCI-60 panel is comprised of 57 human cancer cell lines derived from 9 different cancers (breast, prostate, renal, ovarian, CNS, colon, lung, melanoma and leukemia).
The Company is very pleased to report that in this test, GAP-107B8 demonstrated greater than 50% inhibition in cancer cell growth in 26 of 57 cell lines (46% of all cell lines), from all 9 cancer types in the panel, indicating the potential for potent effect of this novel drug compound across a broad range of human cancers.
Notably, 7 of 9 melanoma cell lines showed a dramatic effect, with inhibition of cell growth of 58% to 100%, with one melanoma cell line showing 100% inhibition of cell growth plus cell death in 39% of treated cells. In 4 of 6 breast cancer lines, 67% to 100% inhibition of cell growth was seen, and in 3 of 5 CNS cancer cell lines, growth inhibition was 63% to 100%. In 1 of 2 prostate cancer cell lines, growth inhibition was 100%.
Dr. Doug Cowart, an experienced clinical pharmacologist and CEO of Therapeutic Development Consultants in North Potomac, MD and a member of PharmaGap's Clinical Development Group, commented on the results, "The initial data from the NCI is a powerful and compelling independent validation of GAP-107B8's potential for development in the treatment of a wide range of cancers. We are especially pleased that the data were consistent with the Company's previous finding of the compound's efficacy in breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer cell lines, while also identifying potential new candidate cell lines, such as those derived from melanoma. We look forward to pursuing the study of all of this new data with our colleague on the Clinical Development Group, Dr. Gary Schwartz, Chief of the Melanoma & Sarcoma Service unit at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York."
Results from the NCI-60 screen for GAP-107B8's anti-proliferative effect on ovarian cancer are also consistent with positive data announced by PharmaGap on August 6, 2009 from studies undertaken by Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.
As was announced by the Company on August 13, 2009, based upon the very positive anti-proliferative effect of GAP-107B8 on cancer cells in the one-drug dose study, the NCI has informed the Company that it has selected the compound for a "next phase" dose-response study at 5 concentration levels, so as to better characterize the effects of varying drug dose levels on individual types of cancer, a key element in determining the initial cancer target or targets and designing protocols for clinical trials in humans.
About The National Cancer Institute
About PharmaGap Inc.
PharmaGap Inc. (TSX VENTURE: GAP)(OTCBB: PHRGF), based in Ottawa, ON, is a biotechnology company with a core focus on developing novel peptide therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. PharmaGap's GAP-107B8 is a novel peptide drug designed to inhibit the activity of protein kinase C (PKC), a cell signalling enzyme implicated in certain types and stages of cancer. Independent peer-reviewed research has demonstrated that over-expression of PKC plays a role in the development of many cancer types. For more information please visit www.pharmagap.com :
Note: No Securities Commission or other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over PharmaGap has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. This release contains forward looking statements that may not occur or may change materially.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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| Moving to U.S. tied to higher cancer risks - Reuters Posted: 24 Aug 2009 09:21 AM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Hispanic adults who immigrate to the United States may face higher risks of certain cancers than their native countrymen, a new study suggests. The study, which looked at a database of cancer cases diagnosed in Florida between 1999 and 2001, found that residents of Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Rican origin had overall cancer rates that were at least 40 percent higher than those in their homelands. But Hispanic residents were not uniform in their cancer patterns, the researchers report in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. Those of Cuban background, for instance, were similar to non-Hispanic white Americans in regards to a number of cancers -- particularly their rates of cervical and stomach cancers, which were lower than those of other Hispanic groups. Overall, Puerto Rican men and women had the highest rates of most forms of cancer, while Mexicans tended to have the lowest. "Hispanics are not all the same with regard to their cancer experience," lead researcher Dr. Paulo S. Pinheiro, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, noted in a written statement. "Targeted interventions for cancer prevention and control should take into account the specificity of each Hispanic subgroup: Cubans, Puerto Ricans or Mexicans," he added. For the study, Pinheiro's team analyzed more than 300,000 cases from Florida's central cancer registry, about 10 percent of which were diagnosed in Hispanic patients -- most of whom were born outside the U.S. The total rate of various cancers was lower for Hispanic adults than for non-Hispanic white and black Americans. Among men, the rate was 11 percent and 17 percent lower than those for white and black men, respectively. Hispanic women's cancer rate was 18 percent lower than non-Hispanic white women's and 2 percent lower than that of non- Hispanic blacks. Still, compared with data from their countries of origin, Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Rican adults all had elevated rates of cancer overall -- and of some of the most common cancers, including those of the colon, lungs, breast and prostate. Higher rates of cancer screening and detection in the U.S. may explain part of the increases, according to the researchers, particularly in the case of prostate cancer. But changes in environment and lifestyle are also likely at work, Pinheiro said. Immigrants' higher smoking rates, compared with their homeland counterparts, may help account for the higher lung cancer risk, for example. Meanwhile, breast cancer risk may be affected by reproductive factors, like having fewer children or delaying childbirth -- which have been linked to increased breast cancer risk. Changes in diet and higher rates of obesity after immigration may also be factors, the researchers note. The findings, according to Pinheiro, suggest that doctors need to discourage Hispanic patients from adopting unhealthy habits that may be more common in the U.S. -- and that immigrants should try to hang on to the healthier parts of their lifestyle in their native countries. SOURCE: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, August 2009.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mystics Players To Wear Pink Jerseys For Breast Health Awareness Game - OurSports Central Posted: 24 Aug 2009 11:52 AM PDT August 24, 2009 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Washington Mystics
 Washington, D.C. - Sibley Memorial Hospital has partnered with the Washington Mystics to raise awareness and money for underserved and uninsured women in the metropolitan area with breast cancer. Sibley Memorial Hospital is the team's official healthcare provider and the presenting sponsor of the Mystics' Breast Health Awareness Game which will be held on August 30 at 4:00 p.m. and will feature the Minnesota Lynx. Mystics fans are encouraged to participate in a pink out by wearing pink clothing to celebrate the day.
In celebration of the Breast Health Awareness Game, the first 5,000 fans to arrive will receive pink t-shirts courtesy of Sibley. As part of the day's festivities, breast cancer survivors will be honored guests at the game, compliments of Sibley and the Mystics. Following the game, fans will have a chance to bid on numerous sports experiences and memorabilia from teams and athletes from the metropolitan area as well as the WNBA. Washington Mystics players will wear pink jerseys that will also be part of the post game auction. Last season, the Mystics raised over $37,000 for the Sullivan Center for Breast Health at Sibley Memorial.
Serving Washington, DC since 1890, Sibley Memorial Hospital is a 328-bed acute care nonprofit hospital. Sibley is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and is licensed by the District of Columbia Department of Health and Human Services.
Season tickets for the 2009 and 2010 seasons as well as group tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling the Mystics Sales Office at 1-877-DC-HOOP1 or by visiting the Mystics web site at www.washingtonmystics.com.
The Washington Mystics organization is dedicated to providing affordable entertainment, serving as an impactful community partner and maintaining accessibility to positive female role models. Supported by passionate fans, the Mystics are elite, hardworking athletes continually striving to win a Championship.
• Discuss this story on the Women's National Basketball Association message board... The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Robot's Gentle Touch Aids Delicate Cancer Surgery - Science Daily Posted: 24 Aug 2009 11:02 AM PDT ScienceDaily (Aug. 24, 2009) — New, delicate surgery techniques to hunt for tumours could benefit from a lighter touch – but from a robot, rather than from a human hand. Canadian researchers have created a touchy-feely robot that detects tougher tumour tissue in half the time, and with 40% more accuracy than a human. The technique also minimises tissue damage. Surgeons have developed new minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques and instruments so that procedures that would previously have required a large incision can now be performed through a tiny 10mm cut. These new methods reduce tissue damage and infection compared with more traditional surgery, and can reduce recovery times and costs. However, researchers from the University of Western Ontario and Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics (CSTAR) in London, Ontario identified an issue in MIS, and have come up with a robotic solution, which they detail in the International Journal of Robotics Research, published today by SAGE. Malignant tissue is usually stiffer than the surrounding tissue. Oncologists use scanning techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scanning pre-operatively to identify lesions. But tissues may shift during surgery, making it hard to rely on the position identified by the scan. So instead surgeons use gentle pressure (palpation) to confirm where the tumour is, or to locate further tumours not picked up through scanning. But in MIS this can be very tricky due to access difficulties - as the surgeon must attempt to feel for harder tissue using long, slim instruments via a very small incision. An alternative is to relay touch (haptic) cues via an instrument. Haptic cues include kinaesthetic information, relating to movement, which helps determine the shape and stiffness of an object, and tactile cues about surface textures. A variety of handheld sensors and grasping instruments have been developed since the mid 1990s for use in surgery, but these have the drawback that they do not in themselves control the amount of pressure used, nor do they position themselves correctly. Many are also too large for use in MIS. Enter the robot-controlled palpating device: With cows' livers standing in for human tissue and 10mm and 5mm blobs of glue wrapped in wire representing tumours, the researchers compared palpation by surgeons, non-surgeons and the robot in the blinded trials. The researchers used a torque sensor to measure the force of the palpations. Using tactile MIS sensing instruments under robotic control reduces the maximum force applied to the tissue by over 35% compared to a human controlling the same instrument. Accuracy in detecting the tumours was also far greater with the robot - between 59 and 90% depending on the robot control method used for palpation. Unlike humans, the robot applies consistent force in each step, and moves over the tissue systematically. This produces a complete map, equivalent to one large pad applying ideal levels of force to the whole sample. (Similar to tactile sensors that have been developed to detect breast tumours.) Humans do not know from one palpation to the next exactly how much force they are applying. This means some features are only highlighted because the surgeon is applying more force, or because the human user has changed the angle slightly between the instrument and the tissue. It is also easier to miss a tumour due to applying slightly lower force. In fact both surgeons and non-surgeons were more likely to cause tissue damage than the robot. When a subject observed increased pressure on the visual display, they tended to focus on the area and apply even more force to see if what they had observed was a tumour. In the case of MIS, only a very small area can be palpated, which makes it challenging to compare adjacent areas and search for a tumour manually. If developed further, the authors suggest that this type of instrument would particularly benefit surgeons performing lung tumour resection, where tissue often shifts significantly. To develop the prototype robot for use in real MIS, the researchers plan to incorporate a design upgrade to include a flexible rotating head and a remote centre of motion. They would also add an improved interface to help surgeons overcome any fears about using robots in this type of surgery, and to allow them to increase the number of palpations around a suspicious area. This means using robots during MIS to detect tumours is "not only feasible, but results in reduced tissue trauma and increased tumour detection," according to lead author Analuisa Trejos. With one in eight deaths worldwide due to cancer, rising to one in four in North America, robots with a gentle touch may one day routinely offer a helping hand in cancer surgery. Journal reference:
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