AEGiS-PRn: NIH and Paracelsian Negotiate Letter of Intent for Broad Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA): Agreement Would Facilitate Development of Cancer and AIDS Treatment

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

NIH and Paracelsian Negotiate Letter of Intent for Broad Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA): Agreement Would Facilitate Development of Cancer and AIDS Treatment

PR Newswire - November 15, 1995

ITHACA, N.Y., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Paracelsian, Inc., (Nasdaq: PRLN) today announced they are negotiating a letter of intent for a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NM). A letter of intent is not a commitment upon either party to enter into a CRADA. However, the agreement, when executed, would accelerate study of Paracelsian's lead compound PN355, as well as allow the company to begin testing its panel of 2,800 extracts of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) for possible activity against HIV and cancer.

As part of the agreement, the NIH would share with Paracelsian its expertise relating to the role of certain signal transduction pathways in malignant cell growth and in cell death. In return, Paracelsian would share its compounds, libraries of compounds and extracts of TCMs.

"We hope this agreement will accelerate the entry of one or more of our compounds into clinical trials for cancer or retroviral infections," said Keith Rhodes, President and CEO of Paracelsian.

Under terms of the CRADA, Paracelsian would provide the NIH access to PN355 and its analogs, as well as to other compounds already under investigation at Paracelsian. They are to be studied for their ability to modulate HIV in an in vitro model system developed at the NIH, for their activity against HTLV-I replication and transformation, and for their effects on cdc2 kinase in breast tumor cell lines. Additional studies will screen the Company's TCM library for efficacy against prostate cancer.

Paracelsian would gain access to in vitro and animal models, developed at NIH, essential to the further identification and evaluation of kinase inhibitors. Paracelsian would also gain access to data and reagents for defining related kinases toward which these analogs may have important inhibitory activity. New compounds identified during the course of the studies to have unique activity will also be made available to the NIH.

"Our goal is to evaluate and develop one or more lead compounds in Phase I/II clinical trials for human malignancies or retroviral infections," said John Babish, Ph.D., Chief Scientist at Paracelsian. "The contributions of our two organizations will help speed the introduction of safe and effective medications for the treatment of these devastating diseases."

It is the policy of the National Institutes of Health to acknowledge the importance of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources originating from source countries as provided under the U.N. Convention of Biological Diversity. The collaborative research provided under this CRADA will comply with this policy.

Paracelsian is a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery of pharmaceuticals from herbal sources and the development and marketing of assays for improved cancer diagnosis. The Company's technologies are based on a biochemical process known as signal transduction -- a form of information processing within the cell. The Company has in effect several licensing deals, including an agreement with Dow Chemical for Paracelsian's Ah-Immunoassay(TM) signed in January 1995.

CONTACT: Peter Steinerman or Angela Garber, of Wang Associates, 212-685-1900/ 08:30 EST

Copyright (c) 1995/PR NewsWire. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019.
951115
PR951128

Copyright © 1995 - PRNewswire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through PRNewswire, Permissions, 810 Seventh Ave., 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10019 http://www.prnewswire.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, National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1995. 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, 1995. 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. .