VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 16, 2011) - biOasis Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE:BTI) announced today positive results from its BT2111 program showing that the company's Transcend vector delivers trastuzumab (trade name Herceptin®), across the blood-brain barrier and into the brain tissue. Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody used in the clinic to treat HER2+ breast cancer. Trastuzumab, however, is unable to treat breast cancer metastases to the brain because it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier in therapeutic quantities.
This brain imaging study was conducted by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and involved intravenous administration to mice of fluorescently labeled BT2111 or trastuzumab alone. The measurement of fluorescent labeled BT2111 in the brain two hours post injection confirmed that trastuzumab was carried by Transcend across the blood-brain barrier. In contrast trastuzumab by itself did not distribute to the brain tissue.
"This was a major step for us at biOasis," said Rob Hutchison, CEO. "As we reported earlier, the in vitro work done at both the NRC and BC Cancer Research Centre (BCCRC) showed great promise in two areas: 1) results from the BCCRC showed that there was an increase in cancer cell killing effect when Transcend was linked to trastuzumab over trastuzumab on its own (a study that was recently replicated at the BCCRC showing similar results); and 2) the NRC showed in vitro that Transcend was able to transport trastuzumab into human brain endothelial cells. Now we have shown in an animal model that the Transcend – trastuzumab conjugate can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain tissue. This study accomplished two major goals for the company's Transcend program: firstly, to show that we can get this therapeutic into the brain tissue opens the possibility that it may one day enable physicians to treat patients with HER2+ brain metastasis and secondly, to show that we can use Transcend to get large biologics across the blood-brain barrier and deliver them into brain tissue. We've shown in the past that Transcend can deliver small drugs but the ability to delivery large biologics is a major step in the potential treatment of neurological disorders."
Herceptin® is the registered trade mark of Genentech
ABOUT BT2111
BT2111 is a conjugate between biOasis' Transcend brain delivery vector and trastuzumab (trade name Herceptin(R)), a humanized monoclonal antibody used clinically in the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer. Because of its ability to cross the blood brain barrier and enter the tissues of the brain biOasis is studying BT2111 as a possible approach to treating HER2+ metastatic breast cancer in the brain. It is reported that up to as many as 30% of breast cancer patients develop brain metastatic cancer.
ABOUT THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER
Overcoming the difficulty of delivering therapeutic agents to specific regions of the brain presents a major challenge to treatment of most brain disorders. In its neuroprotective role, the blood–brain barrier functions to hinder the delivery of many potentially important diagnostic and therapeutic agents to the brain. Therapeutic molecules and genes that might otherwise be effective in diagnosis and therapy do not cross the BBB in adequate amounts. It is widely reported that over 95% of all Therapeutic molecules do not cross the blood-brain barrier.
ABOUT TRANSCEND
biOasis is developing a proprietary carrier for the transport of therapeutic and imaging agents across the blood-brain barrier - Transcend. Current initiatives within the Transcend program include production of materials for preclinical studies and conjugation to a range of small molecule and biologic therapeutics. To address the unmet clinical need to transport drugs across the blood brain barrier biOasis intends to license Transcend to multiple corporate partners.
ABOUT BIOASIS:
biOasis Technologies Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of products for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases and disorders. Its products and technologies are intended for use within the healthcare and life science research markets. The Company is currently developing Cognitest, a blood test for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. biOasis is also developing Transcend, a proprietary molecular carrier intended to transport drugs across the Blood-Brain Barrier for treatment of a wide range of neurological, oncological and infectious disease applications.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "believe", "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, events or developments, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, events or developments express or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factors include, among others, our stage of development, lack of any product revenues, additional capital requirements, risk associated with the completion of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market our products, the ability to protect our intellectual property, dependence on collaborative partners and the prospects for negotiating additional corporate collaborations or licensing arrangements and their timing. Specifically, certain risks and uncertainties that could cause such actual events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from any future events or results expressed or implied by such statements and information include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties that: we may not be able to successfully develop and obtain regulatory approval for p97 as a Physician's Aid to Diagnose Alzheimer's, or future products in our targeted corporate objectives; our future operating results are uncertain and likely to fluctuate; we may not be able to raise additional capital; we may not be successful in establishing additional corporate collaborations or licensing arrangements; we may not be able to establish marketing and the costs of launching our products may be greater than anticipated; we have no experience in commercial manufacturing; we may face unknown risks related to intellectual property matters; we face increased competition from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; and other factors as described in detail in our filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on our current expectations and we undertake no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements and information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Rob Hutchison, Chairman & CEO
"Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."
Contact Information:
Rob Hutchison
Chairman & CEO
(778) 383.3280
rob@bioasis.ca