VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals Reports That Preclinical Testing Of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Analogs May Be Useful In Treating Heart Failure

Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 28 Oct 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today that preclinical in vivo screening of a series of synthetic analogs of calcitonin gene-related peptide ('CGRP'), which naturally occurs in humans, retained the properties of CGRP at equal or greater potency. The Company will select one of these compounds to pursue for the treatment of heart failure, which is the nation's most expensive disease. Heart failure affects five million Americans annually and is the number-one cause of death in persons over 65.

CGRP is concentrated in the heart, where nerves secrete it to protect the heart and keep heart cells alive. Unfortunately, when there is an MI (myocardial infarction) or CHF (congestive heart failure), an insufficient amount is present to have a meaningful effect. CGRP appears to benefit the heart by (1) increasing local blood flow; (2) protecting heart muscle cells from damage due to lack of oxygen; and, (3) modulating the immune system, which reduces inflammation and protects the heart. These benefits minimize heart muscle damage and subsequent scar tissue formation, while promoting the healing process.

Preclinical in vivo testing of VasoGenix's CGRP analogs confirms that they retain the therapeutic properties of CGRP that are important for the treatment of heart failure.

"We have a tremendous success story building here in Kansas City, the heartland of America," said G. Lee Southard, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals. "Our drug development program is capitalizing on the strengths of the Kansas City-area's highly skilled clinical and academic research organizations (CROs and AROs), cost-effective development, and seed funding from several Kansas economic development agencies and private investors. As a result, we expect to file an IND (Investigational New Drug) application with the FDA to begin human clinical trials for heart failure treatment with our selected compound, for which we have filed a composition-of-matter patent."

VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals is a privately held, emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cardiovascular drugs. The Company is focused initially on positioning its compound related to 'CGRP' (calcitonin gene-related peptide) as a front-line treatment for heart failure. http://www.vasogenix.net

Statements contained in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements, as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as, "expects," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "promises," "intends," "believes," and similar expressions that do not relate to historical matters. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which can cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated, due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, to identify strategic partners or, if identified, the inability to enter into an acceptable agreement with such strategic partners and successfully concluding the development and regulatory processes. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of today, based upon information known to management as of the date hereof. VasoGenix assumes no obligation to update or revise any of its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes show that indicated results or events will not be realized.

Source
Ronald C. Trahan
Ronald Trahan Associates Inc.

VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals