Lpathomab(TM), Compelling New Preclinical Results - Ovarian Cancer

Main Category: Ovarian Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 21 Apr 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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Lpath, Inc. (OTCBB:LPTN), the category leader in bioactive-lipid-targeted therapeutics, reported compelling new in vivo and in vitro results relating to its preclinical drug candidate, Lpathomab, in various ovarian cancer studies. The results were presented today by Lpath scientists at the 100th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Denver, Colorado.

Lpathomab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to the bioactive lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and acts as a molecular sponge to absorb LPA, thereby neutralizing LPA-mediated biological effects on tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. LPA has been associated with a variety of cancer types, but the correlation with ovarian cancer and breast cancer has been particularly strong.

Using the human ovarian cell line called SKOV3, Lpath's preclinical studies demonstrated Lpathomab significantly reduced IL-8 and IL-6 cytokine release in SKOV3-conditioned media and blocked tumor-cell migration triggered by LPA (both IL-8 and IL-6 promote tumor angiogenesis and metastasis). More important, Lpathomab inhibited the progression of SKOV3 tumor cells when injected into the peritoneal cavity of mice and reduced levels of pro-metastatic factors in these animals.

Lpathomab also reduced neovascularization (new blood-vessel growth) in two classical angiogenic models and showed preliminary anti-metastatic activity when tested in a classical experimental metastasis model.

According to Roger Sabbadini, Ph.D., Lpath's founder and chief scientific officer, "In view of these promising preclinical results, we believe Lpathomab has the potential to augment the efficacy of current ovarian cancer therapy by blocking the growth-promoting, angiogenic, and metastatic effects of LPA."

Source
Lpath