Monday, November 12, 2007
Tumor eradication article published by Cancer Research
Preclinical results make compelling case for clinical testing in human cancer patients.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The scientific journal Cancer Research, in its Oct. 15 issue, published a peer-reviewed article from Genelux Corporation describing successful eradication of human breast cancer tumors in animals using GL-ONC1, a novel oncolytic virus developed by Genelux scientists. These promising results make a compelling case for the use of GL-ONC1 in human cancer patients. Clinical trials are scheduled to begin in the near future.
“We believe this research represents a significant advance in tumor therapy and diagnosis,” said President and CEO Aladar A. Szalay, PhD, an internationally-recognized scientist who founded Genelux Corporation in 2001.
The article, titled “Eradication of Solid Human Tumors in Nude Mice with an Intravenously Injected Light-Emitting Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus,” appeared in Volume 67 of Cancer Research, page 10038-46. The article documents animal studies that have resulted in complete eradication of human breast tumors without any observed toxicity using a single intravenous injection of GL-ONC1. In the studies, GL-ONC1 located and replicated selectively within tumors, leading to successful tumor destruction. Scientists were able to monitor tumor regression and elimination in real time using a light-emitting fusion protein encoded in the virus.
GL-ONC1 also stimulated the body’s own natural defenses to fight against the cancer. After administration, tumor-specific viral colonization enables the immune system to recognize tumors as foreign elements and activate defense mechanisms to fight them. These increased innate and adaptive immune responses further contribute to the regression and eventual eradication of the tumor.
The research described in the article was conducted in collaboration with scientists at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Transfusion Medicine and Center for Information Technology, in Bethesda, Maryland; and the Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine at the Institute of Biochemistry and Institute for Molecular Infection Biology at the University of Würzburg in Germany.
BACKGROUND
GL-ONC1 is a genetically stable oncolytic virus strain designed to locate, enter, colonize and destroy cancer cells without harming healthy tissues or organs. GL-ONC1 is based on vaccinia virus, which was used safely in millions of people as the vaccine against smallpox. Scientists at Genelux have modified this virus to increase its safety, tumor selectivity and anti-tumor activity without limiting its ability to replicate in cancer cells. GL-ONC1 also carries a unique fusion protein designed to provide non-invasive, real-time imaging capabilities, including tumor diagnosis and localization, microscopic analysis of tumor biopsies, cancer staging and follow-up treatment monitoring.
The safety and efficacy demonstrated in preclinical studies, along with vaccinia virus’ well-documented safety record as a vaccine against smallpox, make GL-ONC1 a promising candidate for clinical trials. Clinical trials are expected to begin in the near future in major clinical institutions in the U.S. and Europe.
CONTACT
To contact Media Relations, send an email MediaRelations@genelux.com. To read the abstract, visit the Cancer Research website. For company information, visit: www.genelux.com.
ABOUT GENELUX CORPORATION
Genelux Corporation is a privately-held biomedical company whose mission is to develop safe and effective diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for cancer and inflammatory diseases. The company’s flagship product, GL-ONC1, is an attenuated oncolytic virus engineered to carry bioluminescent proteins for real-time disease monitoring and staging. Clinical trials of GL-ONC1 are scheduled to begin in the near future. Genelux Corporation has a Research and Development Division in San Diego, California; an Office of Business & Investor Relations in Redlands, California; and a Product Analysis Division in Bernried, Germany. For more information, visit www.genelux.com.
Statements made about Genelux Corporation, other than statements of historical fact, reflect Management’s current beliefs and assumptions founded on the data and information currently available to us. Statements of the company’s progress, results, timing of pre-clinical and clinical trials and projections for product pipelines are examples of forward-looking statements. By definition, such undertakings involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and are subject to a number of such factors that could cause actual results to differ substantially from statements made, including but not limited to: risks associated with the success of clinical trials, research and development programs, regulatory approval processes for clinical trials, competitive technologies and products, patents, inception and/or continuation of corporate and other strategic partnerships and the need for additional funding or financing.