SignalGene has announced that it has achieved positive results in the first tests in animals of its proprietary, small molecule anti-cancer compound, SG292, designed under the company's anti-angiogenesis program. The test results show that this compound inhibits the growth of human breast cancer tumors when administered orally and has no acute toxicity at high doses.

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, plays a major role in several diseases, especially the growth and metastasis of cancer. Angiogenesis inhibitors are currently under investigation by numerous groups as novel therapeutics for the treatment of diseases caused or supported by inappropriate growth of blood vessels, including growth of solid and metastatic tumors, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and psoriasis. The control of this process is expected to have important therapeutic applications for the treatment of such diseases.

"The positive results achieved in this round of animal testing provide clear evidence that SG292, the most advanced designed compound from our anti-angiogenic program, has significant therapeutic potential as an inhibitor of tumor growth", said Dr. Michael Dennis, President and CEO of SignalGene.

According to SignalGene, the recently completed study demonstrated the ability of orally administered SG292 to inhibit tumor growth in xenograft models of aggressive human breast cancer in nude mice. Over a treatment period of 20 days, mean tumor growth in mice receiving SG292 was significantly reduced compared to controls. The SignalGene compound showed no obvious toxic effects over the period of treatment, and produced no adverse behavioral effects or changes in body weight.

SOURCE:
SignalGene, Inc. (http://www.signalgene.com)