SILVER SPRING, Md., July 9, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (NVLX), a clinical-stage international biotechnology company providing cell and gene therapy solutions for the treatment of diseases, announced today that all preparations for the commencement of its preclinical studies to determine the effectiveness of PharmaCyte Biotech’s pancreatic cancer treatment in slowing down the accumulation of ascites fluid have been completed. As previously announced, Translational Drug Development, LLC (TD2) will conduct the study. Ascites fluid accumulates in the abdomen and is usually associated with the development of advanced pancreatic and other abdominal cancers.
Austrianova Singapore is providing the live cells to be encapsulated using PharmaCyte Biotech’s Cell-in-a-Box(R) technology, which are capable of converting the cancer prodrug ifosfamide, along with the prodrug itself. The live cells are expected to arrive at TD2’s facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the first week of August 2014. The preclinical study will commence almost immediately after their arrival.
“Now that we have completed all preparations for the start of the preclinical studies on the accumulation of ascites fluid in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, we have the opportunity to demonstrate that our Cell-in-a-Box(R) technology is one of the most diverse platform technologies to emerge in the medical field over the past decade,” said Kenneth L. Waggoner, CEO and President of PharmaCyte Biotech, “While this is our first opportunity to thoroughly evaluate our technology in the U.S., we anticipate that the commencement of these preclinical studies will begin to provide validation for that belief.”
PharmaCyte Biotech’s pancreatic cancer treatment, which combines the Cell-in-a-Box(R) live-cell encapsulation technology with the well-known anticancer drug ifosfamide, will be studied with the expectation that it can improve the quality of life of pancreatic cancer patients by slowing down the accumulation of ascites fluid in the abdomen. This is a chronic condition which is common for those having solid tumors in their abdomen. This fluid must be removed on a periodic basis – a situation which is exceedingly taxing on the patients.
The organs of the abdomen are contained in a sac or membrane called the peritoneum. Normally the peritoneal cavity contains no fluid. Metastatic cancer in the abdomen is the predominate cause of ascites, a condition that is not just limited to pancreatic cancer. It can be caused by many forms of cancer in the abdomen. Because this type of ascites fluid accumulation is a result of an abdominal cancer, the fluid itself can contain cancerous cells, which, in turn, can “seed” at various places in the abdomen and form new tumors.
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech (NVLX) is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live-cell encapsulation technology known as Cell-in-a-Box(R). This unique and patented technology will be used as a platform upon which treatments for several types of cancer, including advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer, and diabetes are being built. PharmaCyte Biotech’s treatment for pancreatic cancer involves the widely used anticancer prodrug ifosfamide, together with encapsulated live cells, which convert ifosfamide into its active or “cancer-killing” form. PharmaCyte Biotech is also working towards clinical trials associated with the symptoms of advanced pancreatic cancer and other abdominal cancers.
Safe Harbor:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding PharmaCyte Biotech and its future events and results that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions, as they relate to PharmaCyte Biotech or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of PharmaCyte Biotech, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements include PharmaCyte Biotech’s ability to continue as a going concern, delays in clinical trials or flaws or defects regarding its products, changes in relevant legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection of PharmaCyte Biotech’s intellectual property and PharmaCyte Biotech’s continued ability to raise capital. PharmaCyte Biotech does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at www.nuvilex.com. It can also be obtained by contacting Investor Relations.
Investor Relations Contacts:
Clare Matschullat
Blueprint Life Science Group
Telephone: 917.595.2856 Ext. 106
[email protected]
