Guest guest Posted April 12, 2000 Report Share Posted April 12, 2000 XTL's Trimera(XTL) System Subject of Presentation at International Symposium On Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease REHOVOT, Israel and NEW IPSWICH, N.H., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. presents today results from recent studies using its proprietary Trimera(XTL) system for developing antiviral drugs at the 10TH International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease, scheduled from April 9 to 13, 2000 in Atlanta, GA. Research using the Trimera mouse model for evaluating novel compounds to treat human hepatitis C virus infection (HCV), was done by scientists at XTL in collaboration with Dr. Eithan Galun from the Liver Unit at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem. The presentation, " The Trimera Mouse System: A Model for HCV Infection and Evaluation of Antiviral Drugs, " will review the methods used for the creation of the Trimera system and the subsequent evaluation of potential anti-HCV agents in the HCV Trimera disease model. According to the authors, HCV-RNA could be detected in the mouse serum eight days after the transplantation of ex vivo infected human liver fragments and a peak infection rate of 85% was reached between days 18 and 25. The Trimera system was then used to evaluate a human monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed to the HCV envelope protein and another potential anti-HCV agent. The MAb was able to inhibit HCV infection of human liver tissue as well as reduce the percentage of HCV positive animals. Both agents were able to reduce viral load in the HCV-Trimera model. " One of the major difficulties in developing therapies against hepatitis C is the lack of in vitro systems or reproducible small animal models for preclinical evaluation of therapeutic candidates. This research suggests that the Trimera mouse system is the first reproducible small animal model for simulating human HCV infection and for evaluating new therapeutic agents, " stated Becker, Ph.D., President and CEO of XTL. " The Trimera system has served as an integral tool for advancing XTL's proprietary and collaborative programs for the discovery and preclinical development of new therapies to treat hepatitis. " XTL is addressing the challenges of hepatitis by facilitating the development of new ways to treat infectious disease. The Company applies its proprietary Trimera(XTL) system to produce fully human antibody-based therapeutics that can be used in combination with small molecule antiviral drugs to treat serious diseases. In addition, XTL utilizes its Trimera disease models in collaboration with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to expedite the development of new drugs to treat hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). XTL is combining these approaches to develop a broad array of multiple drug therapies to treat HBV and HCV and is expanding its activities to other infectious disease targets with corporate and academic collaborators. For more information about XTL, visit the Company's Web site at http://www.xtlbio.com. SOURCE XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. National Study Underway to Determine Whether Hepatitis C Treatment Should Be Extended to More Patients Experimental Treatment Guidelines to Be Tested at 100 Study Sites Nationwide ST. LOUIS, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Saint Louis University School of Medicine researchers are studying hepatitis C patients with normal liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, or ALT) to determine if they have the same treatment response as patients with elevated liver enzymes. Hepatitis C patients with normal ALT levels are often denied standard treatment, even though their condition will eventually deteriorate, researchers say. " Current medical recommendations exclude those patients with normal or low ALT levels from treatment with the leading drug combination therapy, but we believe early drug intervention may protect these patients from more severe complications of the disease, " said Bruce R. Bacon, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine. " This study will determine if it makes sense to help patients before their condition worsens by reducing or eliminating the hepatitis C virus in its early stages. " According to Dr. Bacon, elevated enzyme levels should not be the sole determinant of virus activity or of significant liver disease. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States and affects approximately 4 million people nationwide. Almost 3 million of those infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) will develop a chronic infection, which can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure and death, if left untreated. Study Details Approximately 2,500 patients with normal liver enzyme levels will be treated for up to 12 months with the leading FDA-approved therapy most commonly used in patients with elevated ALT levels. In clinical studies, REBETRON Combination Therapy containing interferon alfa-2b (immune system booster) and ribavirin (antiviral drug) has been shown to help reduce the hepatitis C virus in the bloodstream, often to below detectable levels. The only other approved therapy for hepatitis C, alpha interferon monotherapy, shows only a moderate response in patients. Hepatitis C kills up to 10,000 Americans annually and the death rate is expected to triple in the next two to three decades, exceeding the rate associated with AIDS. The virus sometimes does not exhibit noticeable symptoms for up to three decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 350,000 of those infected have been diagnosed. " We hope the results of this study will be a call to action for medical professionals nationwide to reduce the inadequacies in current treatment guidelines for hepatitis C patients, " said Bacon. " Physicians should consider further testing and potential administration of combination therapy to patients with normal ALT. " The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by contact with infected blood and infected blood products. Since the blood supply was not screened for HCV before 1992, anyone who received a blood transfusion before then could have been infected with the disease. Those who have injected drugs even once, shared needles to apply tattoos, or had unsafe sex with infected partners also are considered to be at-risk for the disease and should be tested. Saint Louis University is a co-educational private university, sponsored and assisted by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), located in Saint Louis, Missouri. Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine had the distinction of awarding the first M.D. west of the Mississippi River in 1939 and is a pioneer in organ transplantation, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences, vaccine research, and geriatrics, among others. The School of Medicine trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health services on a local, national and international level. CONTACT: Frakes 314-268-5940 SOURCE Saint Louis University School of Medicine CO: Saint Louis University School of Medicine; Society of Jesus ST: Missouri IN: EDU MTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2000 Report Share Posted April 12, 2000 XTL's Trimera(XTL) System Subject of Presentation at International Symposium On Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease REHOVOT, Israel and NEW IPSWICH, N.H., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. presents today results from recent studies using its proprietary Trimera(XTL) system for developing antiviral drugs at the 10TH International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease, scheduled from April 9 to 13, 2000 in Atlanta, GA. Research using the Trimera mouse model for evaluating novel compounds to treat human hepatitis C virus infection (HCV), was done by scientists at XTL in collaboration with Dr. Eithan Galun from the Liver Unit at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem. The presentation, " The Trimera Mouse System: A Model for HCV Infection and Evaluation of Antiviral Drugs, " will review the methods used for the creation of the Trimera system and the subsequent evaluation of potential anti-HCV agents in the HCV Trimera disease model. According to the authors, HCV-RNA could be detected in the mouse serum eight days after the transplantation of ex vivo infected human liver fragments and a peak infection rate of 85% was reached between days 18 and 25. The Trimera system was then used to evaluate a human monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed to the HCV envelope protein and another potential anti-HCV agent. The MAb was able to inhibit HCV infection of human liver tissue as well as reduce the percentage of HCV positive animals. Both agents were able to reduce viral load in the HCV-Trimera model. " One of the major difficulties in developing therapies against hepatitis C is the lack of in vitro systems or reproducible small animal models for preclinical evaluation of therapeutic candidates. This research suggests that the Trimera mouse system is the first reproducible small animal model for simulating human HCV infection and for evaluating new therapeutic agents, " stated Becker, Ph.D., President and CEO of XTL. " The Trimera system has served as an integral tool for advancing XTL's proprietary and collaborative programs for the discovery and preclinical development of new therapies to treat hepatitis. " XTL is addressing the challenges of hepatitis by facilitating the development of new ways to treat infectious disease. The Company applies its proprietary Trimera(XTL) system to produce fully human antibody-based therapeutics that can be used in combination with small molecule antiviral drugs to treat serious diseases. In addition, XTL utilizes its Trimera disease models in collaboration with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to expedite the development of new drugs to treat hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). XTL is combining these approaches to develop a broad array of multiple drug therapies to treat HBV and HCV and is expanding its activities to other infectious disease targets with corporate and academic collaborators. For more information about XTL, visit the Company's Web site at http://www.xtlbio.com. SOURCE XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. National Study Underway to Determine Whether Hepatitis C Treatment Should Be Extended to More Patients Experimental Treatment Guidelines to Be Tested at 100 Study Sites Nationwide ST. LOUIS, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Saint Louis University School of Medicine researchers are studying hepatitis C patients with normal liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, or ALT) to determine if they have the same treatment response as patients with elevated liver enzymes. Hepatitis C patients with normal ALT levels are often denied standard treatment, even though their condition will eventually deteriorate, researchers say. " Current medical recommendations exclude those patients with normal or low ALT levels from treatment with the leading drug combination therapy, but we believe early drug intervention may protect these patients from more severe complications of the disease, " said Bruce R. Bacon, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine. " This study will determine if it makes sense to help patients before their condition worsens by reducing or eliminating the hepatitis C virus in its early stages. " According to Dr. Bacon, elevated enzyme levels should not be the sole determinant of virus activity or of significant liver disease. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States and affects approximately 4 million people nationwide. Almost 3 million of those infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) will develop a chronic infection, which can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure and death, if left untreated. Study Details Approximately 2,500 patients with normal liver enzyme levels will be treated for up to 12 months with the leading FDA-approved therapy most commonly used in patients with elevated ALT levels. In clinical studies, REBETRON Combination Therapy containing interferon alfa-2b (immune system booster) and ribavirin (antiviral drug) has been shown to help reduce the hepatitis C virus in the bloodstream, often to below detectable levels. The only other approved therapy for hepatitis C, alpha interferon monotherapy, shows only a moderate response in patients. Hepatitis C kills up to 10,000 Americans annually and the death rate is expected to triple in the next two to three decades, exceeding the rate associated with AIDS. The virus sometimes does not exhibit noticeable symptoms for up to three decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 350,000 of those infected have been diagnosed. " We hope the results of this study will be a call to action for medical professionals nationwide to reduce the inadequacies in current treatment guidelines for hepatitis C patients, " said Bacon. " Physicians should consider further testing and potential administration of combination therapy to patients with normal ALT. " The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by contact with infected blood and infected blood products. Since the blood supply was not screened for HCV before 1992, anyone who received a blood transfusion before then could have been infected with the disease. Those who have injected drugs even once, shared needles to apply tattoos, or had unsafe sex with infected partners also are considered to be at-risk for the disease and should be tested. Saint Louis University is a co-educational private university, sponsored and assisted by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), located in Saint Louis, Missouri. Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine had the distinction of awarding the first M.D. west of the Mississippi River in 1939 and is a pioneer in organ transplantation, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences, vaccine research, and geriatrics, among others. The School of Medicine trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health services on a local, national and international level. CONTACT: Frakes 314-268-5940 SOURCE Saint Louis University School of Medicine CO: Saint Louis University School of Medicine; Society of Jesus ST: Missouri IN: EDU MTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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