GammaCan Discovers Anti-Angiogenic Properties in Plasma-Derived IgG
28 June 2007 - 10:00PM
Business Wire
GammaCan International, Inc. (�GammaCan� or �the Company�) (OTCBB:
GCAN), a developer of proprietary immunotherapies for the treatment
of melanoma and other cancers, announced today that its Chief
Scientist, Professor Yehuda Shoenfeld, M.D., FRCP, has discovered
that gamma-immunoglobulins, or IgG, manufactured from human plasma,
contain sub-fractions with potent anti-angiogenic properties which
may have application in disorders of neovascularization, including
cancer and other diseases. This discovery is the subject of a
recent patent application filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office. In cancer, neovascularization (the formation of new blood
vessels) is the process by which tumors recruit blood supply from
nearby blood vessels for their proliferation. Without blood supply,
a tumor cannot grow to the stage of being truly dangerous. As a
result, the prevention of this process is of significant value in
treating cancer and other diseases. Commenting on this development,
Chief Executive Officer Patrick Schnegelsberg said, �GammaCan has
recently made substantial advances in understanding how IgG-based
therapies produce some of their anti-cancer effects. One such
effect is that specific fractions of IgG appear to prevent tumors
from recruiting the blood supply required for their growth. That
process is known as angiogenesis. The Company anticipates that this
discovery may be developed into broad-based cancer therapies and
other therapies that address non-cancer disorders.� About GammaCan
GammaCan develops proprietary immunotherapy and related approaches
to treat melanoma and other cancers. GammaCan's platform patented
technology is based on the use of IgGs (gamma-immunoglobulins), a
safe, relatively non-toxic human plasma-derived product used to
treat a variety of immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases. In
cancer, IgG-based therapies work by strengthening the patient's
immune system. Many experts currently view immunotherapy as a
future alternative to chemotherapy. The Company's lead drug
candidate, VitiGam�, targets Stage lll and Stage lV melanoma for
which no effective treatment currently exists. For more information
about GammaCan, visit www.GammaCan.com. About VitiGam� VitiGam� is
a first-in-class IgG-based anti-cancer immunotherapy being
developed for the treatment of Stage III and Stage IV melanoma.
GammaCan is planning to submit its Investigational New Drug
Application (IND) for VitiGam� to the FDA in the near future. The
Company expects to commence human clinical trials shortly
thereafter. VitiGam� is an IgG-based product manufactured from the
plasma of donors with Vitiligo, a benign skin condition affecting
up to 2% of the general population. Studies have shown that this
"enriched" IgG formulation contains potent anti-melanoma activity.
Based on these studies, GammaCan expects VitiGam� to provide both,
specific anti-melanoma activity (directed against melanoma cells),
and non-specific anti-cancer activity. About Melanoma Melanoma is a
deadly form of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer
Society, melanoma accounts for approximately 4% of all skin cancers
but causes approximately 75% of all skin cancer-related deaths. An
estimated 62,000 people will be diagnosed with and nearly 8,000
people will die from melanoma in the U.S. alone in 2007. If rapidly
diagnosed and surgically removed, early-stage melanoma is usually
curable. However, for patients with metastatic melanoma (Stage III
and Stage IV), the prognosis is poor since no effective treatment
currently exists. These patients have a median survival time of 8.5
months and a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. There has been
little change in these results for in excess of 25 years. The
incidence of melanoma has increased more rapidly than any other
cancer during the past 10 years. The last drug to treat patients
with metastatic melanoma was approved by the FDA over 30 years ago.
Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this press release that are not
purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements in this press release include statements regarding: the
commercialization of anti-cancer immunotherapies and the Company's
efforts to develop therapies to boost the immune systems of cancer
patients by the use of IgG-based therapy. Actual outcomes and the
Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as the
inability to finance the planned development of the technology; the
inability to hire appropriate staff to develop the technology;
unforeseen technical difficulties in developing the technology; the
inability to obtain regulatory approval for human use; competitors'
therapies proving to be more effective, cheaper or otherwise
preferable for consumers; the inability to market a product; all of
which could, among other things, delay or prevent product release,
as well as other factors expressed from time to time in GammaCan's
periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC"). As a result, this press release should be read in
conjunction with GammaCan's periodic filings with the SEC, which
are incorporated herein by reference. The forward-looking
statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this
press release and GammaCan undertakes no obligation to publicly
update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events
or circumstances.
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