Lorus Antisense Compound Causes Tumor Regression in Preclinical Studies

GTI 2501, Lorus Therapeutics Inc.'s (Markham, ON, Canada) second antisense compound, showed strong anti-cancer activity when tested in standard mouse models bearing a variety of different human cancer lines, including tumor cells derived from lung, breast, colon, kidney, ovary, pancreas, and skin cancers.

The compound displayed the greatest anti-tumor activity on kidney and breast tumor cells. In three independent tests using two different human kidney cancer lines, researchers observed complete tumor regressions in all 20 mice tested.

According to Lorus president and chief scientific officer Jim Wright, GTI 2501 treatment was stopped following tumor regression. The mice were then monitored for a further 46 days, during which time the tumors did not reappear.

"The studies demonstrated that GTI 2501 treatment can lead to complete tumor loss in these kidney cancer models," Wright added. "Similar results were also obtained using a human breast cancer line. In this investigation, complete tumor regression was observed in all ten mice tested in two independent studies."

In November, Lorus filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the company's first antisense drug, GTI 2040. Lorus expects to file a similar IND with the FDA for GTI 2501 in the summer of 2000.

Lorus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of cancer therapies.

For more information: Philippe G. Lacaille, CEO, Lorus Therapeutics Inc., 7100 Woodbine Ave., Ste. 215, Markham, ON L3R 5J2, Canada. Tel: 905-305-1100, ext. 234. Fax: 905-305-1584.

Edited by Jim Pomager