SAN DIEGO, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In collaboration with researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU), Lpath, Inc. this week announced results showing that one of its potential therapeutic antibody products can mitigate excessive fibrosis in the hearts of mice after a heart attack (myocardial infarction or “MI”).
The results suggest that Lpath’s antibody, called Sphingomab(TM), could someday treat a major form of heart failure that is attributed to excessive scarring (i.e., fibrosis) due to the over-activity of a cell type in the heart called the cardiac fibroblast. The results of the first cardiac study were presented on November 14th at the Annual Meeting of the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) in Chicago, Illinois.
According to Dr. Roger A. Sabbadini, biology professor of SDSU and chief scientific officer of Lpath, the company has developed a monoclonal antibody against sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and validated S1P as a therapeutic target for the treatment of heart disease. “The ability of the Sphingomab to target S1P,” notes Sabbadini, “validates this bioactive lipid as being responsible, at least in part, for stimulating cardiac fibroblasts to lay down excessive scar tissue. This leads to compromised heart function and decreased diffusion of nutrients to the heart during the first weeks following a heart attack.”
In fact, cardiologists have generally recognized the leading cause of post-MI heart failure and death is excessive scarring associated with maladaptive wound healing. The Sphingomab treatment not only blocked the effects of S1P on the isolated fibroblasts in cell culture, but also prevented an important early event called perivascular fibrosis in an animal model. The results were presented in an oral symposium at the AHA meetings by Nicole Gellings Lowe from the SDSU Heart Institute.
Lpath believes that S1P contributes to excessive scarring that exacerbates not only heart disease and cancer, but also various ocular disorders. In fact, three days ago, on November 12, Lpath presented research at the American Academy of Ophthalmologists (www.aao.org) conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, showing Sphingomab can also prevent maladaptive fibrosis in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) as tested in a mouse model.
Sphingomab has previously been tested in several animal models of human cancer and this work was published in a leading cancer journal, Cancer Cell. (See: http://www.cancercell.org/content/article/fulltext?uid=PIIS1535610806000602.)
The common thread among these various disease states is maladaptive wound-healing responses. The human body does not always respond appropriately to injuries, like those that occur in heart attacks or in AMD, or to the presence of cancerous tumors. Fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and other cells can become over-active and contribute to the pathogenesis of those diseases.
Sphingolipids, like S1P, play a primary role in mediating this over-activity. Researchers at Lpath believe interfering with the function of S1P and other sphingolipids can result in clinically relevant therapeutic outcomes in each of these disease states.
About Lpath
Lpath, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, is a drug discovery company focused on bioactive signaling lipids as targets for treating and diagnosing important human diseases, including cancer, heart failure, and various ocular disorders. Lpath’s lead product candidate, Sphingomab, targets the bioactive lipid, S1P. Lpath’s unique ability to generate antibodies against bioactive lipids is based on its ImmuneY2 technology. The company recently used the ImmuneY2 process to generate a monoclonal antibody against lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) another bioactive lipid with roles in cancer and pain management. ImmuneY2 offers a potential pipeline of antibody-based drug candidates and positions Lpath as the category leader in therapeutics that target bioactive lipids as part of its lipidomics-based therapeutics program. .
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for statements of historical fact, the matters discussed in this press release are forward looking and reflect numerous assumptions and involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from stated expectations. For example, there can be no assurance that required clinical trials will be successful, necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained, or the proposed treatments will prove to be safe or effective. Actual results may also differ substantially from those described in or contemplated by this press release due to risks and uncertainties that exist in our operations and business environment, including, without limitation, our limited experience in the development of therapeutic drugs, our dependence upon proprietary technology, our history of operating losses and accumulated deficits, our reliance on research grants, current and future competition, and other risks described from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.
Contact: Scott Pancoast Investor Relations Tel: (858)678-0800 x118 Liolios Group, Inc. Email: spancoast@lpath.com Scott Liolios or Ron Both Internet: www.lpath.com 949-574-3860
Lpath, Inc.
CONTACT: Scott Pancoast of Lpath, Inc., +1-858-678-0800, ext. 118,spancoast@lpath.com; or Investor Relations, Scott Liolios or Ron Both, bothof Liolios Group, Inc., +1-949-574-3860, for Lpath, Inc.
