WOONSOCKET, R.I., Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MultiCell
Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: MCET) and Genisphere LLC
will collaborate on the development of targeted MCT-485
nanoparticle therapeutics for the treatment of liver cancer.
MCT-485 is a noncoding double stranded micro RNA (miRNA) which has
demonstrated oncolytic and immune stimulating activity in in
vitro models of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of primary
liver cancer, and is a leading cause of cancer death
worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma remains an unmet medical
need, and today's approaches for treatment are of limited
efficacy. Current standard-of-care in certain clinical
stages of hepatocellular carcinoma is based on trans catheter
arterial chemoembolization utilizing suspension of doxorubicin in
lipiodol or drug eluting beads, with or without other approaches.
While such approaches have shown an improvement in clinical
outlook over symptomatic treatment, novel compounds, drug delivery
methods, and treatments are needed to ensure a more durable
management of tumor progression, and delay or prevention of tumor
relapse. MCT-485, possessing both oncolytic and immune
activating properties, could be superior to doxorubicin, cisplatin
and other currently marketed chemotherapies by providing a more
robust activation of immunity, and a more global and longer lasting
anti-tumor effect.
MultiCell and Genisphere will investigate the use of
Genisphere's patented 3DNA® Dendrimer nanoparticle drug delivery
technology to enable the targeted delivery of MCT-485 to the tumor
and away from normal tissues. Formulations that meet several
criteria: (1) are safe enough to allow parenteral administration by
infusion (venous, arterial) or topical administration
(intra-tumoral); (2) achieve an increased bioavailability within
tumor and tumor cells respectively, by virtue of having a ligand
for a tumor associated receptor; and, (3) contains a synthetic
miRNA with one or more immune modulating and cytotoxic modes of
action when delivered will be developed and tested in animal models
of hepatocellular carcinoma.
About MCT-485
MultiCell Technologies' MCT-485 is a noncoding double stranded
micro RNA (miRNA), and the first of a family of prospective cancer
therapeutics based on the use of our patented TLR3 signaling
technology. MultiCell owns rights to several issued U.S. and
foreign patents and patent applications related to MCT-485.
The mechanism of action of MCT-485 is pleiotropic:
- Induction of tumor cell death upon direct exposure, while
normal cells are minimally affected.
- Production of TNF-alpha by cancer cells resulting in amplified
tumor cell death and a localized immune reaction that has the
potential to generalize and curb progression of metastatic
cancer.
About 3DNA® Dendrimers
Genisphere's 3DNA Dendrimer nanotechnology enables key advances
in the targeted delivery of therapeutics including greatly improved
drug efficacy, reduced toxicity, and can enhance the ability to
bridge the blood-brain barrier. 3DNA® Dendrimers are made
from systematically assembled DNA strands, and offers a robust
alternative nanoparticle for delivering therapeutics in a highly
efficient targeted strategy. 3DNA Dendrimers are
biocompatible, multivalent for both targeting and therapeutic
cargo, easily adaptable, biodegradable and stable in
circulation.
About MultiCell Technologies, Inc.
MultiCell Technologies, Inc. is a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics and
discovery tools that address unmet medical needs for the treatment
of neurological disorders, hepatic disease and cancer. For
more information about MultiCell Technologies, please visit
http://www.multicelltech.com.
About Genisphere LLC
Genisphere LLC is a privately-held biotechnology company
providing innovative tools for targeted drug delivery, clinical
diagnostics, and life science research based on the company's
patented 3DNA® Dendrimer nanoparticle platform. Genisphere's
3DNA Dendrimer technology has broad applicability to improve the
sensitivity in immunoassay and nucleic acid detection platforms, as
well as to deliver therapeutics in a highly specific manner.
Genisphere provides the only customizable all-DNA targeted drug
delivery platform. Genisphere's robust 3DNA Dendrimer
nanoparticle delivers small drug, RNAi, and gene construct
therapeutics with greatly improved efficacy and reduced
toxicity. For more information about Genisphere, please visit
http://www.genisphere.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about MultiCell's
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future
events or performance are not historical facts and are
forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). These statements
are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases
such as "believe", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate",
"intend", "plan", "forecast", "could", and "would". MultiCell bases
these forward- looking statements on current expectations about
future events. They involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels
of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement.
Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause
actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections
in the forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to,
the risk that we might not achieve our anticipated clinical
development milestones, receive regulatory approval, or
successfully commercialize our products as expected, the market for
our products will not grow as expected, and the risk that our
products will not achieve expectations. For additional
information about risks and uncertainties MultiCell faces, see
documents that MultiCell files with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including MultiCell's report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended November 30, 2012,
and all of MultiCell's quarterly and other periodic SEC
filings. MultiCell claims the protection of the safe harbor
for forward-looking statements under the Act and assumes no
obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update any
forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after
the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of
subsequent events.
SOURCE MultiCell Technologies, Inc.