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Epistem services for EBI
Epistem services for EBI.
About this update from Genedrive Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n EpiStem Holdings plc\n01 April 2008\n\n\nFor Immediate Release: April 1st 2008\n\n\nEpistem to Provide Preclinical Efficacy Testing Services for Exponential\nBiotherapies\n\nEpistem (LSE:EHP) announced today that Exponential Biotherapies, Inc (EBI). of\nVirginia, USA, have contracted Epistem to provide their specialised preclinical\nefficacy testing services for agents likely to protect the gastrointestinal\ntract against radiation damage. The first compound that Epistem will assess is\nEBI's lead candidate drug, EA-230, which is a small peptide immunoregulator,\nwhich has shown the potential to treat (minimise) radiation insult and could\ntherefore be administered following a terrorist nuclear attack to reduce the\nlevel of intestinal related radiation sickness.\n\nEpistem is a world leader in supplying assays that measure qualitatively and\nquantitatively the effects of radiation damage on the stem cells in the gut.\nEpistem's assays show the effects of agents developed to protect the very\nsensitive cells of the gut. These assays were chosen by the National Institutes\nof Health (NIH) Medical Countermeasures against Radiological and Nuclear Threats\n(MCART) programme and Epistem also works with a number of pharmaceutical\ncompanies developing new drugs candidates with the potential to treat mucositis,\nthe erosion of the lining of the mouth and gut, which is a very common side\neffect of radiation therapy used during cancer treatment. The assays provide\nquantitative and mechanism of action data to assess the efficacy of novel drug\ncandidates, and help define optimum dose scheduling for progression to the\nclinical phases in this very important area of oncology supportive care.\n\nDr Zsolt Harsanyi, the Chairman and Chief Executive of Exponential Biotherapies,\nInc. said 'Epistem's well established assays and unrivalled expertise in the\nfield of gastrointestinal epithelial radiation toxicity are extremely valuable\nto us in confirming the potential of EA-230 as a therapeutic treatment for\nradionuclear attack'.\n\nDr Catherine Booth, head of Epistem's contract research division commented: 'We\nare looking forward to working with EBI to assess the therapeutic potential of\nEA-230. If it is able to improve gastrointestinal wound healing following\nradiation exposure it may have widespread applications in biodefence, oncolo...