CB1400, Patented by Canopus BioPharma, Prevents Tumor Growth and Enhances the Anti-Tumor Effects of Cisplatin and Cetuximab ...( LOS ANGELES California June 19 /-...)

LOS ANGELES, California, June 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Canopus BioPharma, Inc. (OTC: CBIA), has confirmed the efficacy of its oncology candidate, CB1400, as a tumor reducing agent and has also demonstrated the synergistic effect of this drug in combination with both cisplatin and cetuximab (Erbitux) in two mice lung cancer models.

Chairman of Canopus BioPharma, Dr. Patrick Prendergast, stated, "We at Canopus are encouraged with the discovery of this new use for CB1400 to increase efficacy and reduce toxicity issues associated with conventional chemotherapeutic agents."

CB1400, a former schistosomal drug, is currently in phase II clinical development as an anti-mucositis preventative agent in patients receiving radio- and/or chemotherapy treatment. Current anti-mucositis drugs have shown tumor-protective properties. For this reason CB1400 was evaluated by Canopus to determine its effect on tumor growth.

In work carried out by the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, on behalf of Canopus BioPharma, it was confirmed that CB1400 as a single agent significantly reduces tumor growth. In an initial study, tumor growth was inhibited by 48.8% in mice treated with cisplatin, the most commonly used chemotherapy drug. CB1400 alone showed 62.3% tumor growth inhibition while the combination of both compounds further increased inhibition to 69.6%, thus confirming a synergistic effect between cisplatin and CB1400. In addition, there was no evidence of toxicity based on observations of survival and weight change in the mice and there was no evidence that CB1400 protected the tumor.

Cisplatin is a platinum-containing chemotherapeutic drug, administered by IV injection which has been used for more than 30 years to treat various forms of cancer. Enhanced efficacy with CB1400 may prevent the development of drug resistance that is common with cisplatin.

In a similar study, tumor growth was inhibited by 61% in mice treated with cetuximab
'/>"/>