Diabetic neuropathy / iron-binding drugs

ironjustice@aol.com · medicine forum Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1522

Private company to produce iron-binding drugs for use in U.S. clinical
studies

Diabetes Week via NewsEdge Corporation :.

2005 MAY 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Hemosol Corp. has negotiated an agreement
with Biomedical Frontiers Incorporated (BMF), a private
biopharmaceutical company located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, under
which Hemosol will produce two separate iron-binding drugs (40SD02 and
25SD04).

These injectable drug formulations will be used for pre-clinical and
clinical studies for treatment of iron poisoning, iron overload, and
diabetic complications. Production is scheduled to begin in the second
quarter of 2005. Revenue from the agreement governing the BMF
relationship is expected to contribute to modestly reducing Hemosol's
burn rate in 2005.

"The key benefit to Hemosol from this agreement is demonstrating the
ongoing achievements related to our strategy to leverage the Meadowpine
facility to provide high value bio-manufacturing services," said Lee
Hartwell, president and CEO of Hemosol. "While the offset to our cash
burn from this agreement is minimal, we are excited about the future
potential of our relationship with BMF and the U.S. National
Institutes of Health (NIH). We look forward to continued success
meeting our new customers' needs and those of similar organizations.".

BMF's proprietary iron-binding drugs are produced by chemical
attachment of deferoxamine to polymers. Deferoxamine is the only
FDA-approved drug for treatment of iron poisoning and iron overload
disorders. 25SD02 has been selected for inclusion in the Type 1
Diabetes - Rapid Access to Intervention Development (T1D-RAID) Program
of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK), a component of the NIH. In collaboration with academic
investigators, BMF has demonstrated that a prototype formulation of
25SD02 reverses abnormalities in nerve function occurring in diabetic
animals. Under the T1D-RAID program the drug will undergo pre-clinical
testing required before human clinical trials.

The T1D-RAID is a cooperative program of the NIDDK designed to
facilitate translation to the clinic of novel, scientifically
meritorious therapeutic interventions. The goal of the program is to
support pre-clinical work needed for the clinical "proof-of-principle",
the study that determines if a new molecule or novel approach is a
viable candidate for expanded clinical evaluation for the conditions of
type 1 diabetes and its complications.

"Execution of the Manufacturing and Supply Agreement with Hemosol for
our patented iron-binding drugs represents a very significant step for
our Company. It allows us to continue our clinical program in
thalassemia and sickle cell disease with our lead drug and begin our
pre-clinical studies targeting diabetic complications in collaboration
with the National Institutes of Health," stated Bo Hedlund, president
and CEO of Biomedical Frontiers. "We hope that this agreement will
lead to expanded collaboration between BMF and Hemosol, a company with
considerable know-how and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for
manufacturing of protein and polymer based drugs and biologics.".

Biomedical Frontiers is a privately held biopharmaceutical company
developing a family of novel and proprietary iron-binding drugs for the
treatment of a number of medical indications, including iron overload
disorders, iron poisoning and diabetic neuropathy. BMF has been
granted Orphan Drug Designations for its 40SD02 drug for treatment of
iron poisoning and for treatment of iron overload, resulting from
chronic transfusion therapy in diseases such as thalassemia and sickle
cell anemia.

Hemosol is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and
manufacturing of biologics, particularly blood-related proteins.
Hemosol has a broad range of novel therapeutic products in development,
including oxygen therapeutics and protein-based therapeutics to treat
certain infectious diseases, cancers and anemia.

This article was prepared by Diabetes Week editors from staff and other
reports. Copyright 2005, Diabetes Week via NewsRx.com.

<<Diabetes Week -- 05/04/05>>.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who loves ya.
Tom

Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
http://jesuswasavegetarian.7h.com

Man Is A Herbivore!
http://tinyurl.com/a3cc3

DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
http://tinyurl.com/zk9fk

Google