 |
||||||||||||
|
PRESS RELEASE - APRIL 17th, 2008 UPSTREAM BIOSCIENCES' NOVEL AGENTS TO TREAT TRYPANOSOMIASIS
DEMONSTRATE PROMISING SAFETY IN VIVO Vancouver, British Columbia– April 17th, 2008 – Upstream Biosciences Inc. (OTCBB: UPBS) today announced that the company’s novel drug candidates to treat the parasitic disease trypanosomiasis have demonstrated good safety profiles in their first in vivo toxicity tests. The trypanosomiasis parasite, also known as African sleeping sickness, infects both humans and animals. These toxicity studies in mice were conducted by trypanosomiasis researchers at Makerere University in Uganda. “We are encouraged by these positive results from our first animal toxicity tests of Upstream’s compounds against trypanosomiasis,” said Dr. Enock Matovu, the project’s lead researcher in the Department of Parasitology and Microbiology at Makerere University. “Not only is infection with trypanosomiasis debilitating and potentially fatal, its impact on cattle and other livestock production in much of sub-Saharan Africa is enormous. Cattle raising in this part of the world has the potential to be a major source of both income and food, yet the threat of endemic trypanosomiasis infections continues to seriously limit the industry. The availability of effective, safe and cost-effective anti-trypanosomiasis treatments could have a major positive impact on health and economic well-being throughout the region.” Trypanosomiasis infections, spread by the tsetse fly, are estimated to cost the economies of sub-Saharan Africa at least $4.5 billion annually from lost farm income and increased malnutrition, with an estimated $600 million to $1.2 billion expended each year in efforts to control the disease and in direct losses in meat and milk production. An estimated 60 million people and 50 million cattle and other animals in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk of contracting trypanosomiasis. “It is encouraging that Upstream’s investigational agents appear safe and well tolerated in their first tests in animals, since the economic stakes are so high,” said Patrick Bitature, Chairman of the Uganda Investment Authority. “The threat of trypanosomiasis has limited African cattle-raising in a region of sub-Saharan Africa that is roughly the size of Canada or the U.S., reducing potential production by an estimated 500%. This exacts a high economic toll by decreasing the production of meat and milk intended for market, by discouraging investment in livestock cultivation and by reducing the amount of animal labor available to farmers. I believe that a safe and cost-effective cure for animal trypanosomiasis could have a major positive impact on the agricultural economy of our region.” The trypanosome parasite, transmitted by the tsetse fly in more than 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, attacks the blood and nervous systems of infected humans and animals, debilitating its victims and causing a high level of fatalities. Early symptoms include anemia, endocrine, cardiac and kidney disorders. The symptoms of the second neurological phase of the disease include confusion and reduced coordination, accompanied by a profoundly disturbed sleep cycle. Without treatment, the disease is fatal, with progressive mental deterioration leading to coma and death. Available treatments for human trypanosomiasis are costly, complex and toxic, requiring intravenous infusions and hospitalization. Currently treatments for the animal form of the disease are toxic and are increasingly ineffective as a result of rising levels of drug resistance. The Makerere researchers reported that Upstream’s trypanosomiasis candidates were well tolerated by mice with no signs of serious toxicity at therapeutic dosages suggested by our in vitro experiments assessing the anti-malarial activity of these drug candidates. “This second set of positive toxicity results in mammals represents another milestone for our program to develop innovative agents to treat tropical parasitic diseases,” said Joel L. Bellenson, Chief Executive Officer of Upstream. “The good safety profile seen to date with our novel structural class of compounds for trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis adds to the growing body of early data validating the potential of our advanced computational approach to drug discovery. These safety results are especially encouraging in view of the toxicity characterizing current treatments for these diseases. We look forward to advancing the preclinical program for these compounds that have the potential to significantly contribute to the health and economic vitality of this important region.” Upstream’s library of novel compounds has previously demonstrated encouraging therapeutic potential in vivo against the tropical parasitic disease leishmaniasis and in vitro against the diseases malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis. These three diseases are caused by related parasites. To view the International Livestock Research Institution’s
map of Cattle and TseTse flies in Africa, please click HERE. About Makerere University About Upstream Biosciences, Inc. For more information, please contact Samantha Haynes at 1-800-539-0289 or info@upstreambio.com. Media Contact: GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners, Barbara Lindheim: Tel: 212- 918-4650
|
|||||||||||
