Business Wire - July 1, 2004
Members of the research team also presented a poster on this topic, "In vitro Development of Resistance Against Styrylquinolines of HIV-1 by Emergence of Integrase Mutations," at the XIII International HIV Drug Resistance Workshop, held in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, 8-12 June 2004.
The use of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) inhibitors such as reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors has led to the emergence of resistant strains. Retroviral integration, the process that stably inserts the DNA copy of the viral genomic RNA into the host cell genome, is an essential step for productive infection and is catalyzed by the HIV integrase. Since this enzyme as no direct cellular counterpart, it represents an attractive target for the treatment of HIV infection and supports the introduction of integrase inhibitors as a potential means of combating the emergence of drug resistant viral strains.
In their research, investigators confirmed the target of SQLs by mutations evidenced in the integrase gene when viruses were grown in the presence of increasing concentrations of SQLs. Treatment of HIV-1-infected cells with SQLs reduced the amount of the late cDNA, suggesting for the first time that integrase targeting molecules may affect the accumulation of DNA during reverse transcription, positioning SQLs as a group of anti-integrase compounds.
"This study provides support for the concept that these compounds are integrase-targeting inhibitors that act at one or several steps prior to integration," said Jean- Francois Mouscadet, Director of Research at the Laboratory for Biotechnology and Applied Pharmacology, l'Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan, France and lead investigator for the study.
The study also demonstrates that SQLs are active against HIV mutant strains that are resistant to a diketo acid moiety and to reverse transcriptase inhibitors, positioning them after diketo acid members as a new means of anti-integrase therapy.
About BioAlliance Pharma
BioAlliance Pharma is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics and predictive assays in the field of drug resistance, targeting cancer and infectious diseases, including in particular HIV. The Company has a balanced portfolio of products and proprietary technologies in various stages of development, from preclinical research to a product approved for marketing. To supply this pipeline of products, BioAlliance maintains a unique network of alliances with leading academic investigators from French research institutions, including Le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), L'Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) and the Institut Pasteur, among others.
To exploit the opportunities represented by the BioAlliance pipeline, the company emphasizes four areas of product development:
Predictive Assays, with a HIV drug resistance test, Phenoscript(TM), currently marketed through distribution partnerships in the US and Europe;
Adhesive Technology, with a lead product represented by Miconazole-Lauriad(TM), a once-a-day buccal bio-adhesive tablet developed to provide improved anti-fungal therapy for treatment of candidiasis in cancer and HIV patients receiving chemotherapy or immuno-suppressive drugs. Miconazole-Lauriad(TM) is currently in two Phase III clinical trials in France, one in HIV patients and the other in head and neck cancer patients following radiotherapy. The Company intends to file an IND to conduct clinical studies in the U.S., pending a corporate partner;
Nanotechnology, focused on a portfolio of products including the Transdrug(TM) program with an initial product, Doxorubicin-Transdrug, in a Phase I/II trial being conducted at clinical sites in France for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Doxorubicin-Transdrug consists of a polymer used to entrap doxorubicin administered by the intra-arterial route to treat primary liver cancer. HCC is a known resistant cancer without an approved therapy. Additional studies using this delivery nanotechnology are planned for treatment of liver metastasis and refractory solid tumors by the IV route;
New Chemical Entities, focused on resistance issues in HIV and cancer that could benefit from intra-cellular targeting, including an anti-HIV integrase inhibitor and cancer drugs covered by 20 exclusive patents and licenses.
For additional company background, please visit the BioAlliance Pharma web sites at: www.BioAlliancepharma.com and www.viralliance.com.
CONTACT: BioAlliance Pharma SA
Richard Keatinge
Vice President, Business Development
Tel : +33 (0) 1 45 58 76 00
richard.keatinge@bioalliancepharma.com
SOURCE: BioAlliance Pharma SA
040701
BW040701
Copyright © 2004 - Business Wire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Business Wire, Permissions Desk, Business Wire, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036; Tel: (212) 575-8822; FAX: (212) 575-1854. http://www.businesswire.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .