iCo Therapeutics iCo-007 Diabetic Macular Edema Poster Presentation at ARVO
VANCOUVER, April 25 /CNW/ - iCo Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: ICO)
announces that the company's Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
candidate, "iCo-007", will be presented by Dr. Peter Hnik in a
poster session at the Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (ARVO).
The poster, "iCo-007, a VEGF "+" Agent for the Potential Treatment
of Diabetic Macular Edema and Diabetic Retinopathy", can be viewed
during the Macular Edema in Diabetes poster session on Tuesday, Apr
29, 2008 from 3:00 PM- 4:45 PM in Hall B/C of the Greater Fort
Lauderdale Convention Center.
Dr. Peter Hnik, iCo Therapeutics' Chief Medical Officer, will be in
attendance to respond to questions.
Designed and discovered by ISIS Pharmaceuticals Inc., (NASDAQ:
ISIS), iCo-007 is a second-generation antisense inhibitor targeting
c-Raf kinase mRNA for the treatment of DME and Diabetic
Retinopathy. iCo licensed the worldwide exclusive rights to all
therapeutic applications of iCo-007 from ISIS in 2005.
"DME is an unmet medical need representing vast market potential
for novel compounds such as iCo-007," said Andrew Rae, iCo's
President & CEO. "It is our hope that iCo-007's ongoing Phase I
trial in DME patients will represent a vital step in developing a
treatment for this increasingly prevalent disease."
About iCo-007
iCo-007 is expected to decrease swelling in the retina and related
visual impairment by decreasing the signaling of multiple growth
factors, including VEGF, IGF, bFGF, EPO and HGF that signal through
the c-Raf kinase/MAP kinase pathway. iCo-007 is currently in an
open label, dose escalating Phase I clinical trial in DME patients.
The primary endpoint of the trial is safety, with visual acuity and
measures of retinal thickness serving as secondary endpoints.
iCo-007 may also be a potential treatment for certain oncology
indications, as c-Raf kinase is the predominant Raf isoform
responsible for regulating cellular growth in ovarian cancer.
About Diabetic Macular Edema
There are currently no approved therapeutics for DME, the leading
cause of blindness in working age adults. DME currently affects
about 1.6 million people in the U.S. alone, a number that is
expected to grow as Diabetes is forecast to increase by almost 50%
in the US by 2025.
About iCo Therapeutics
iCo Therapeutics Inc. is a Vancouver-based reprofiling company
focused on redosing or reformulating drugs with clinical history
for new or expanded indications. iCo has exclusive worldwide rights
to two products, iCo-007, in Phase I for the treatment of Diabetic
Macular Edema, and iCo-008, a product with Phase II clinical
history to be developed for severe ocular allergies. iCo
Therapeutics has an exclusive option to license iCo-009, an oral
reformulation of Amphotericin B for sight and life-threatening
diseases. iCo-009 also represents a new drug delivery technology
with the potential to reprofile other parenteral administered drugs
to the oral route of administration.
iCo Therapeutics trades on the TSX-Venture exchange under the
symbol "ICO".
For more information, visit the company website at: www.icotherapeutics.com
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the content of
this release. The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release may be considered
forward-looking. Such statements involve known and unknown
risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from those
implied by such statements, and therefore these statements should
not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All
forward-looking statements are based on iCo Therapeutics' current
beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently
available to iCo Therapeutics and relate to, among other things,
anticipated financial performance, business prospects, strategies,
regulatory developments, market acceptance and future commitments.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this
press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks
and uncertainties identified by iCo Therapeutics in its public
securities filings; actual events may differ materially from
current expectations. iCo Therapeutics disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
-30-
/For further information: Business Development Contact: Dr. John
Clement,
CT&DO, (778) 688-0644; Finance Contact: Mr. John Meekison, CFO,
(604) 602-9414
x 224; Investor/Media Contact: Frederica Bell, Corporate
Development, (604)
602-9414 x 228/
Posted: April 2008
