Welichem's Anti-cancer Drug Candidate Stimulates the Immune System
BURNABY, BC, Jan. 22 /CNW/ - Welichem Biotech Inc. ("WBI" or the
"Company") (TSX-V: WBI - News), a biotechnology company developing
drugs to fight autoimmune diseases and cancer, today reports
additional results for its lead anti-cancer drug candidate,
WBI-2100.
See Press Release dated September 26, 2006, reporting the Company's
NRC-IRAP support and preliminary test results.
These results, from animal tests, show that in addition to its
significant anti-cancer activity, WBI-2100 also shows specific
stimulatory effects on the immune system. These effects are seen
particularly in neutrophils, which are immune cells that are
pivotal to fighting infections. Due to their inherent toxicity, the
majority of anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs on the market also cause
the common side effect of neutropenia, that is, an abnormally low
level of neutrophils. Neutropenia can create a substantial risk of
life-threatening infection to patients, and can delay chemotherapy
treatment.
The Company's recent tests demonstrated that when the drug
candidate, WBI-2100, is combined with the commercial chemotherapy
drug cyclophosphomide, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is
prevented. In its pre-clinical testing on animal models, the drug
candidate has shown significant anti-cancer efficacy as both a
monotherapy and as a combination therapy with commercially
available anti-cancer drugs. This unique combination of cytotoxic
activity and stimulatory effects on the immune system make WBI-2100
a promising anti-cancer drug candidate that may reduce the side
effect commonly experienced by patients during chemotherapy.
Welichem believes that WBI-2100 is well positioned to be developed
into both an anti-cancer treatment modality by itself, and/or as a
synergistic therapy to improve the use of other established
anti-cancer chemotherapies. The total cost of cancer treatment is
estimated to be $38 billion per year worldwide.
About Welichem Biotech Inc.
Welichem Biotech Inc. is a publicly-traded biotechnology company developing therapeutic drugs in the fields of autoimmune diseases and cancer.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD York Yingping Guo President and Chief Executive Officer
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This press release contains forward-looking statements that include our belief as to the potential of our products. Certain risks and uncertainties such as our ability to successfully commercialize the products could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
%SEDAR: 00021386E
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/For further information: York Yingping Guo, Tel.: (604) 432-1703, Email: yorkguo@welichem.com/
Posted: January 2007
