Business
Quest PharmaTech's Prostate Cancer Program Update
Quest PharmaTech's Prostate Cancer Program Update.
About this update from Quest Pharmatech Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTrading Symbol: QPT: TSX Venture Exchange\n\n\nEDMONTON, May 2 /CNW/ - Quest PharmaTech Inc. ("Quest" or the "Company")\nQuest is pleased to provide an update on the pre-clinical development of SL052\nfor the treatment of prostate cancer.\n\n\nProstate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American\nmen with approximately 230,000 new cases and 30,000 deaths per year. Current\ntherapeutic modalities for localized prostate cancer are associated with\nsignificant morbidity, such as sexual and urinary dysfunction. Photodynamic\ntherapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment that may be used in benign and\nmalignant prostate diseases. PDT is a dual selective treatment modality using\nlight of a specific wavelength to locally activate a photosensitizer\naccumulated in the target tissue. This novel therapy causes a non-carcinogenic\nphotochemical destruction of cancer cells, including those that are resistant\nto radiation and chemotherapy.\n\n\nQuest's innovative Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) prostate cancer treatment\nsystem utilizes our patented Sonolight Technology, our proprietary and potent\nHypocrellin based photosensitizer, SL052, with a novel intra-arterial drug\ndelivery system and state of the art laser device that delivers pulsed light.\nPre-clinical studies in small and large animals have demonstrated the\neffectiveness of SL052 in selective destruction of normal and cancerous\nprostate tissues, with minimal side effects. The use of 18 F FDG (flurodeoxy\nglucose) PET imaging pre and post PDT treatment, highlighted the complete shut\ndown of metabolic activity at the tumor site 24 hours after PDT treatment.\n\n\nThe practical application of this new PDT treatment system on the\nprostate gland has also been demonstrated using a canine prostate model. The\nintra-arterial drug delivery system allows the selective and significant\naccumulation of the photosensitizer in the prostate which is easily confirmed\nby fluorescence detection. PDT treatment of the prostate gland causes complete\nglandular tissue ablation within the intact capsule. Sexual and urological\nfunctions appear to be intact after the treatment with some acute voiding\ndifficulties observed within the first few days.\n\n\nBased on the exciting pre-clinical results, Quest will be compiling a\npre-IND package, including ch...