Oncothyreon's PX-866 is effective in preclinical model of pulmonary fibrosis

About this update from Cascade Copper Corp.

[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nSEATTLE, May 18 /CNW/ - Oncothyreon Inc. (Nasdaq: ONTY) (TSX: ONY) today\nannounced the presentation of data demonstrating the effectiveness of\nOncothyreon's PX-866 in a preclinical model of pulmonary fibrosis. The data\nwere presented earlier today by William D. Hardie, M.D., Associate Professor,\nPulmonary Medicine, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, at\nthe American Thoracic Society International Conference in San Diego,\nCalifornia. PX-866 is a small molecule inhibitor of phosphotidylinositol-3\nkinase ("PI-3 kinase"), a key point of control of cellular responses including\nsignaling of cell survival and growth, migration and metabolism.\n\n\n"PI-3 kinase is part of a signaling pathway that is believed to play an\nimportant role in a number of human diseases that cause fibrosis, or scarring,\nof the lungs," said Dr. Hardie. "Our model in mice mimics these diseases by\nactivating this pathway in the lungs with a growth factor called transforming\ngrowth factor alpha. PX-866 prevented both the deterioration in lung function\nand the fibrosis normally seen in the model. These results suggest that\ninhibition of the PI-3 kinase pathway might be beneficial in such human lung\ndiseases as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis."\n\n\n"Although our current development program for PX-866 is focused on\ncancer, we are very interested in the role the PI-3 kinase pathway is thought\nto play in non-malignant diseases, including autoimmune and cardiovascular\ndiseases," said Robert L. Kirkman, M.D., President and CEO of Oncothyreon. "We\nare pleased that Dr. Hardie plans further studies of PX-866 in pulmonary\ndisease."\n\n\nOncothyreon is currently conducting a Phase 1 trial of PX-866 in patients\nwith advanced metastatic cancer. Preliminary data from this trial are expected\nto be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting later\nthis month in Orlando, Florida.\n\n\nAbout PX-866\n\n\nPX-866 is an inhibitor of the PI-3-kinase/PTEN/AKT pathway, an important\nsurvival signaling pathway that is activated in many types of human cancer.\nAberrant activation and regulation of PI-3 kinase is implicated in a large\nproportion of human cancers including breast, glioma, colon, ovarian, prostate\nand melanoma, where it leads to increased proliferation and inhi...

More updates from Cascade Copper Corp.