Trading Symbol: QPT: TSX Venture Exchange
EDMONTON, June 13 /CNW/ - Quest PharmaTech Inc. ("Quest" or the "Company") Quest is pleased to announce that patient enrollment has been completed in the Phase I clinical study of SL017 Topical Gel for the photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis (AK), with centers in Edmonton and Montreal.
The clinical trial is a controlled, randomized, open label, dose escalation study for the topical application of SL017 Topical Gel in twelve patients with AK. The study is designed to determine the cutaneous and systemic toxicity of topically applied SL017 with and without photoactivation, and to evaluate clinically and pathologically the therapeutic effect of applying photodynamic therapy (PDT) to AK. The patients will continue to be monitored for six weeks after treatment. In addition, skin biopsy samples from drug and PDT treated sites will be analyzed for the presence of PDT response.
"The data obtained so far from the trial have shown that SL017 Topical Gel is safe and well-tolerated by patients treated with and without photoactivation using an intense pulsed light source," said Mr. Thomas Woo, Vice-President of Product Development for the Company. "As a topical PDT agent, SL017 has the potential to treat a variety of skin conditions, including AK, hair removal, acne, psoriasis, etc."
AK is a pre-cancerous skin growth usually caused by prolonged accumulated sun exposure. AK is treated by dermatologists and other physicians due to concern that AK may progress to a malignant form of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinomas. AK has an incidence of approximately 10 to 15% in the Caucasian population globally. The American Medical Association estimates the U.S. market to be about U.S. $250 million.
In addition to the AK trial, the Company is also currently conducting a 50 patie nt Phase I/II study with SL017 Topical gel for hair removal applications, and is completing pre-clinical studies of SL052 for PDT treatment of prostate cancer. Quest has also recently signed an exclusive multinational license agreement with Paramount Biosciences to develop and commercialize SL017 for dermatology-related applications outside of Canada. The Agreement further allows KMH Co. Ltd. to develop SL017 as a cosmetic for hair removal in Asia and acne in South Korea.
About Quest PharmaTech Inc.
The Corporation is a publicly traded (TSX Venture Exchange: QPT), Alberta-based drug development company committed to the development and commercialization of new pharmaceutical products. It is developing a series of products for the treatment of cancer and dermatological conditions based on its unique photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy platform.
"TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved of the
information contained herein."
%SEDAR: 00008400E