UCL (University College London) Liver Failure Group Present Two Studies on a Novel Treatment Option (OCR-002) for Complications of Hyperammonemia in Liver Failure at the 60th Annual AASLD Meeting
BOSTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- UCL Liver Failure Group presented
data from two studies with OCR-002 (L-ornithine phenylacetate) that
suggest the potential for this novel therapeutic agent to impact
multiple aspects of liver disease and its complications. OCR-002 is
licensed to Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. of San Diego, California. The
data, presented at the 60th annual meeting of the American
Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, is comprised of a set
of studies evaluating the potential for OCR-002 treatment to reduce
ammonia, down-regulate inflammation, lower oxidative stress and
reduce portal hypertension in a preclinical model of
cirrhosis.
Treatment with OCR-002 resulted in a significant reduction in
ammonia, normalization of brain edema, reduction in inflammatory
cytokines, and a normalization of eNOS activity in both the brain
and the liver of cirrhotic animals. These effects were associated
with a significant reduction in portal pressure. These findings
suggest a possible role for OCR-002 and ammonia reduction in the
mitigation of portal hypertensive complications, including hepatic
encephalopathy and variceal bleeding.
"With OCR-002, for the first time, we are able to reduce
circulating ammonia levels in a consistent and controlled way which
gives us the ability to treat complications of liver disease as
well as the ability to better understand the pathophysiology of
liver disease and its complications," stated Professor Rajiv Jalan
M.D. at the Institute of Hepatology, UCL. This study exploring the
role of ammonia on portal hypertension and nitric oxide signaling
pathway involved close collaboration with the liver hemodynamics
group at UCL led by Dr. Raj Mookerjee.
"OCR-002 demonstrates significant potential as a new treatment
for liver disease, and addresses an area of significant unmet
medical need that is growing at epidemic rates. We are very pleased
to be involved in the development of OCR-002 in collaboration with
our partners at UCL," added Scott Harris, M.D. Ocera's Chief
Medical Officer.
These two studies, presented at AASLD, are titled, "Reduction in
hyperammonemia with L-ornithine phenylacetate (OCR-002) in
bile-duct-ligated (BDL) cirrhotic rats restores brain eNOS activity
by modulating the DDAH-ADMA pathway" and "Treatment of
hyperammonemia with L-ornithine phenylacetate (OCR-002) reduces
portal pressure by modulating hepatic NFKB and hepatic eNOS
activity in cirrhotic rats."
About OCR-002
Ocera Therapeutics licensed exclusive, worldwide rights for the
development and commercialization of OCR-002 (L-ornithine
phenylacetate) from University College London Business (UCLB).
Ocera Therapeutics is developing OCR-002 as a novel injectable
medication for the treatment of Acute Liver Failure and
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Disease also known as Acute Hepatic
Encephalopathy.
About UCL
Founded in 1826, UCL was the first English university
established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to admit students
regardless of race, class, religion or gender, and the first to
provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. UCL
was recently ranked 4th in the 2009 THES-QS World University
Rankings. UCL alumni include Marie Stopes, Jonathan Dimbleby, Lord
Woolf, Alexander Graham Bell, and members of the band Coldplay. UCL
currently has over 12,000 undergraduate and 8,000 postgraduate
students. Its annual income is over £600 million.
About UCL Business PLC
UCL Business PLC (UCLB) is responsible for commercialising
research across all disciplines generated from within UCL and
associated organisations. It is primarily responsible for
protecting inventions and transacting commercial activity including
options, licences and collaborative commercial research. UCLB also
has responsibility for creating and spinning-out companies from
UCL. UCLB is wholly-owned by UCL and operates as an independent
company with its own Board of Directors.
About Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.
Ocera Therapeutics, based in San Diego, California, USA, is a
privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development
and commercialization of proprietary compounds to treat acute and
chronic liver diseases and a broad range of gastrointestinal
disorders. In addition to OCR-002, Ocera is developing AST-120 in
mild hepatic encephalopathy (Phase 2b), and irritable bowel
syndrome. Ocera has raised $62 million dollars in venture financing
from Domain Associates, Sofinnova Ventures, Thomas, McNerney &
Partners, Montagu Newhall and InterWest Partners. Additional
information on the company can be found at
www.oceratherapeutics.com.
UCL Contact: Company Contact: Dr. Chris Williams, Business Manager, Akiko Shibata, VP Business UCL Business PLC Operations +44 20 7679 9000 Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. c.williams@uclb.com + 1 858-436-3902 ashibata@ocerainc.com
Source: Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.
CONTACT: Dr. Chris Williams, Business Manager, UCL Business PLC
+44 20
7679 9000 c.williams@uclb.com; or Akiko
Shibata, VP Business Operations, Ocera
Therapeutics, Inc., +1-858-436-3902, ashibata@ocerainc.com
Web Site: http://www.oceratherapeutics.com/
