Point Therapeutics Presents Talabostat's Novel Dual Mechanism of Action During Research and Development DayTalabostat's dual me
April 26 2006 - 1:42PM
Business Wire
Point Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:POTP) presented preclinical data
further elucidating talabostat's novel dual mechanism of action
during a Company Research and Development Day on April 25, 2006 in
New York City. Talabostat is a targeted agent that inhibits
dipeptidyl peptidases (DPPs), which are enzymes that regulate
biological processes, including tumor growth and immune responses.
As a stromal targeted agent, talabostat inhibits fibroblast
activation protein (FAP), a DPP that has been shown to contribute
to tumor growth. Yesterday, the company also announced that
talabostat targets DPP 8 and DPP 9, which have been demonstrated to
enhance immune functions in preclinical studies. Talabostat's novel
dual mechanism of action introduces a potential new approach for
the treatment of cancer. FAP is expressed in the stroma, or
connective tissue, of more than 90 percent of epithelial
carcinomas, including non-small cell lung, pancreatic, colorectal,
ovarian and breast cancers as well as melanoma and some bone and
soft tissue sarcomas. Peer-reviewed data from the Fox Chase Cancer
Center suggest that talabostat, a high affinity inhibitor of FAP,
can suppress tumor growth via FAP inhibition in mouse models. New
preclinical data presented at yesterday's R&D Day show that
talabostat's inhibition of two other important DPPs, DPP 8 and DPP
9, may enhance immune functions and promote the body's natural
ability to fight cancer. The preclinical data demonstrate that DPP
8 and DPP 9 inhibition may cause the activation of caspase-1 which
leads to an increase in a key cytokine, interleukin-1beta
(IL-1beta). By its ability to activate caspase-1 with the resultant
induction of IL-1beta), talabostat can stimulate the production of
cytokines and chemokines that are known to promote anti-tumor
responses by both the innate branch of the immune system involving
neutrophils, macrophages and natural killer cells, and the adaptive
branch involving tumor-specific T lymphocytes. Collectively,
cytokines and chemokines maintain and regulate the function of the
immune system. "These proof of concept data are important because
they validate a preclinical mechanism that is quite unique in
oncology. The very nature of talabostat's dual mechanism of action
speaks to its potential versatility as a targeted agent with broad
utility in several different cancers," said Dr. Charles Dinarello.
Dr. Dinarello is a Professor of Medicine at the University of
Colorado School of Medicine. An expert on IL-1, Dr. Dinarello also
serves on the Company's Scientific Advisory Board. "We are very
excited by these data because they speak to the potential efficacy
of inhibiting key DPPs to treat cancer--a novel approach to
treating the disease," said Dr. Barry Jones, Senior Vice President
and Chief Scientific Officer at Point Therapeutics. "To my
knowledge, talabostat is the first DPP inhibitor being developed
for the treatment of cancer. To date, talabostat has been studied
in more than 500 people, including two ongoing Phase 3 studies for
non-small cell lung cancer and Phase 2 studies for chronic lymphoid
leukemia, metastatic melanoma, and pancreatic cancer." A replay of
the company's Web cast and copies of the presentation can be
downloaded on the corporate Web site, www.pther.com About Point
Therapeutics, Inc.: Point is a Boston-based biopharmaceutical
company developing a portfolio of dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)
inhibitors for use in cancer, type 2 diabetes and as vaccine
adjuvants. Point is currently studying its lead product candidate,
talabostat, in two Phase 3 trials in non-small cell lung cancer.
Point is also studying talabostat in several Phase 2 trials,
including as a single-agent in metastatic melanoma, in combination
with cisplatin in metastatic melanoma, in combination with
rituximab in advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and in
combination with gemcitabine in metastatic pancreatic cancer. In
addition, Point's portfolio includes two other DPP inhibitors in
preclinical development--PT-630 for type 2 diabetes, and PT-510 as
a vaccine adjuvant. Certain statements contained herein are not
strictly historical and are "forward looking" statements as defined
in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This
information includes statements with respect to the company's
clinical development programs and the timing of initiation and
completion of its clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts, and can be identified by,
among other things, the use of forward-looking language, such as
"believes," "feels," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks,"
"plans," "schedule to," "anticipates" or "intends" or the negative
of those terms, or other variations of those terms of comparable
language, or by discussions of strategy or intentions. A number of
important factors could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected or suggested in the forward looking statement,
including the risk factors described in Point's annual report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and from time to
time in Point's periodic and other reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
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