TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Announces Results of Preclinical Studies in Hepatitis B
MALVERN, Pa., Nov. 10, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq:TLOG) today announced additional results from preclinical studies that demonstrated the ability of the SMAC-mimetic, birinapant, to clear Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in mouse models.
In studies performed by Dr. Marc Pellegrini and his colleagues at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia, administration of birinapant to C57BL/6 mice hastened the clearance of HBV-DNA from blood and liver, and was associated with loss of HBV-surface antigen (HBsAg). Birinapant's effect occurred in a dose-related manner. This was associated with apoptosis of infected hepatocytes and transient elevation of liver transaminases. Normal hepatocytes were spared. The clearance of HBV-DNA was also seen with entecavir, and the two agents together were more effective than either agent alone. These results were confirmed using mice in which the targets of birinapant, the cIAPs, were ablated in the liver ("knock-out mice"). In C3H mice that do not spontaneously clear HBV, birinapant treatment resulted in loss of HBV-DNA, loss of HBsAg and the appearance of anti-HBsAg antibodies.
"These preclinical results provide a compelling rationale for TetraLogic's recently initiated clinical study in HBV" said J. Kevin Buchi, President and Chief Executive Officer of TetraLogic. About the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is Australia's oldest medical research institute. It is home to almost 750 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including infectious diseases, cancers and immune disorders. It is located in Parkville, Melbourne, and is closely associated with The University of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. About TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation
TetraLogic is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel small molecule therapeutics in oncology and infectious diseases. TetraLogic has two clinical-stage product candidates in development: birinapant and SHAPE. Birinapant is currently being tested in Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials for hematological malignancies and solid tumors, and is also being tested in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in hepatitis B. SHAPE is entering a Phase 2 clinical trial for early-stage Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma. Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this release are forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. These statements relate to future events or TetraLogic's pre-clinical and clinical development of birinapant, SHAPE and other clinical programs, future expectations, plans and prospects. Although TetraLogic believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may prove to have been materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. TetraLogic has attempted to identify forward looking statements by terminology including ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''anticipates,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''projects,'' ''intends,'' ''potential,'' ''may,'' ''could,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''approximately'' or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 19, 2014 and in our form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 5, 2014. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
CONTACT: Company Contact:
Contact: Alan Gill [email protected]
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Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
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Potential cure for hepatitis B enters phase 1/2a clinical trial
IMAGE: Dr Marc Pellegrini (L), Dr Greg Ebert and colleagues have developed a new treatment for chronic hepatitis B infections that is entering clinical trials.
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A new treatment developed by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers to promote the cure of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is now recruiting patients for a phase I/2a clinical trial.
Dr Marc Pellegrini, Dr Greg Ebert and colleagues developed the new treatment in collaboration with TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, US. The clinical trial will be held at sites across Australia and New Zealand, including Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland.
Hepatitis B is a viral disease that infects liver cells. Although a vaccine has been available since 1982, more than two billion people worldwide are infected with the virus. Most patients will recover from the disease, but 5-10 per cent of patients will develop a chronic infection, with children most at risk. More than 780,000 people die every year from complications associated with chronic hepatitis B infection, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The new treatment uses TetraLogic Pharmaceutical's drug birinapant, which triggers the breakdown of proteins that prevent infected cells from self-destructing. Dr Pellegrini said these proteins, known as 'inhibitors of apoptosis proteins' (IAPs), can be targeted to allow infected cells to die.
"Our preclinical models have shown that birinapant kills infected liver cells, while not harming uninfected cells," he said. "Used in conjunction with an existing treatment for hepatitis B, this drug has the potential, for the first time, to functionally cure chronic hepatitis B infections."
Dr Pellegrini said the new treatment had the potential to revolutionise the way chronic HBV infections were treated. "Patients who develop chronic infections can be treated with drugs that prevent the virus from replicating, reducing the amount of virus in the liver, but do not completely eliminate the virus," he said. "These patients are dependent on anti-viral drugs that need to be taken for a very long period of time to reduce the risk of virus-induced liver damage and the complications that come with it.
"Our new therapy combines an existing anti-viral drug, which reduces the viral load, with birinapant that promotes efficient killing of hepatitis B infected cells and clearance of the virus from the system."
"We are really excited that this treatment has entered phase 1/2a clinical trials as it is a culmination of many years work in developing new strategies to tackle chronic infections."
Based on his crucial research, Dr Pellegrini is the key scientific and clinical advisor for the clinical study that is now underway. The study is sponsored by TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation in collaboration with Nucleus Network in Melbourne and hospitals across Australia and New Zealand.
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The phase 1/2a clinical trial will involve approximately 50 patients and is currently recruiting eligible participants. For more information about the trial and eligibility, contact Nucleus Network at [email protected].
Background
Hepatitis B is a liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis B virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. In the United States, 804,000 – 1.4 million persons are estimated to be chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can be either acute or chronic. Acute Hepatitis B virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the Hepatitis B virus. Acute infection can but does not always lead to chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis B virus infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the Hepatitis B virus is not eradicated. Chronic Hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, and even death. The risk for chronic HBV infection decreases with increasing age at infection. Approximately 5% of adults with acute HBV infections progress to chronic infection.
For an “acute” infection, there is generally no treatment other than rest and supportive measures to manage any symptoms. There are several approved drugs in the US for “chronic” hepatitis B, including Intron A (interferon alpha-2b), Pegasys (peg-interferon alpha-2b), Epivir-HBV (lamivudine), Hepsera (adefovir), Baraclude (entecavir), Tyzeka (telbivudine) and Viread (tenofivir). These drugs slow down the virus and reduce potential liver damage. In rare cases, they may even get rid of the virus completely.
Rationale for treatment with birinapant
Like cancer cells, cells that are infected with certain viruses may escape apoptosis. We have conducted pre‑clinical studies to evaluate the potential development of birinapant as an infectious disease therapeutic to overcome this “escape‑from‑apoptosis” in infected cells. We believe this is a novel approach. There are no drugs currently on the market that specifically target the IAPs and thereby induce apoptosis in virally infected cells as a strategy for therapy. Using a mouse model of HBV, birinapant was well tolerated and showed activity in the clearance of cells infected with HBV. The clearance was additive when given in combination with entecavir. Birinapant caused a decline in HBV surface antigen and the appearance of anti-HBsAG antibodies whereas entecavir did not, implying a different mechanism of action. Pre-clinical studies are ongoing to determine the spectrum of potential therapeutic activity of birinapant in other infectious diseases. Consistent with these results, birinapant demonstrated activity at clinically achievable study drug exposures in studies of human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, in human blood cells in vitro. It was also active in a mouse model of tuberculosis and in a mouse model of Legionella. We have entered into a research collaboration with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, or WEHI, based in Melbourne, Australia, to examine SMAC-mimetics, including birinapant, in the treatment of infectious disease.
Clinical Trials
In July 2015, we announced that we intend to initiate a combination single ascending dose/multiple ascending dose clinical trial, with birinapant as a single agent, in chronic HBV subjects. These subjects will not be taking other antiviral medication. In the single ascending dose phase of the trial, subjects will be given a single dose of birinapant. The dose of birinapant will be escalated until at least one of the subjects shows evidence of activity, defined as an increase in liver transaminases and/or a decline in circulating viral DNA. At that point the cohort will be expanded and additional subjects will each receive four weekly administrations, at that dose, of birinapant. The starting dose of birinapant will be 2.8 mg/m2. We have retained a clinical research organization and currently expect to initiate this trial at multiple sites in India in early 2016. Timing of results will depend upon enrollment rates and upon the cohort in which activity, if any, is seen.作者: 齐欢畅2 时间: 2016-3-26 21:36
Like cancer cells, cells that are infected with certain viruses may escape apoptosis. We have conducted pre‑clinical studies to evaluate the potential development of birinapant as an infectious disease therapeutic to overcome this “escape‑from‑apoptosis” in infected cells. We believe this is a novel approach. 作者: 齐欢畅2 时间: 2016-4-2 13:47