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Aeterna Zentaris: Article on Perifosine as Potential Novel Approach to the Treatment of Mesothelioma Published in Plos One
QUÉBEC CITY, May 31, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS) (TSX:&#x...
About this update from Cosciens Biopharma Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\n\n\nQUÉBEC CITY, May 31, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ:\n AEZS) (TSX: AEZ) (the \"Company\") today announced that an article\n published in the May 2012 issue of Plos One, outlines a novel mechanism\n of action of the Company's oral anti-cancer compound, perifosine, which\n could provide a rationale for a novel approach to the treatment of\n Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MMe), an aggressive type of cancer\n associated with exposure to asbestos. The article titled, \"Perifosine as a Potential Novel Anti-Cancer Agent Inhibits EGFR/MET-AKT\n Axis in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma\", G. Pinton, A. Gabriella Manente, G. Angeli, L. Mutti, L. Moro, is\n available at www.plosone.org. Plos One is an international, peer reviewed on-line publication.\n\n\nMethods\n\n\nPerifosine's activity was tested on human mesothelial cells and\n different mesothelioma cell lines, in order to provide evidence of its\n efficacy as single agent and combined therapy.\n\n\nResults\n\n\nData demonstrated that perifosine caused a dose-dependent reduction of\n Akt activation, at concentrations causing MMe cell growth arrest.\n Moreover, data described a novel mechanism of perifosine that\n interferes, upstream of Akt, affecting EGFR and MET phosphorylation.\n Finally, data demonstrated a significant increase in cell toxicity when\n MMe cells were treated with perifosine in combination with cisplatin.\n\n\nConclusions\n\n\nThis study provides a novel mechanism of action of perifosine, directly\n inhibiting EGFR/MET-Akt1/3 axis, providing a rationale for a novel\n translational approach to the treatment of MMe.\n\n\nAbout Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MMe)\n\n\nMalignant Pleural Mesothelioma is a rapidly lethal cancer associated\n with exposure to asbestos that is increasing in incidence worldwide.\n Since MMe is resistant to conventional therapies, the prognosis of\n these patients is poor, with a median survival of 11-12 months after\n diagnosis, therefore, there is an urgent need for effective therapy.\n\n\nAbout Perifosine\n\n\nPerifosine is a novel, oral anticancer compound that inhibits Akt\n activation in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. It works by\n interfering with membranes of cancer cells, thereby inhibiting Akt\n signaling which then affects cell death, growth, different...