Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. Initiates Phase IIa Clinical Study for Co...( Patient Dosing Underway in Co...),Health

Patient Dosing Underway in Company's First Clinical Program

NOVATO, Calif., April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. ("Raptor" or the "Company") (OTC Bulletin Board: RPTP), today announced that its clinical development subsidiary, Bennu Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Bennu"), has initiated the Company's first clinical-stage program after dosing the first cohort in a Phase IIa study of oral 4-methylpyrazole ("4-MP") in subjects with ALDH2 deficiency, or ethanol intolerance, as the initial development stage of its Convivia(TM) program. Convivia(TM) is Bennu's proprietary, oral formulation of 4-MP designed to reduce peak systemic acetaldehyde levels in ALDH2 deficient persons following alcohol consumption.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071022/NYM074LOGO )

ALDH2 deficiency, sometimes referred to as "Asian flushing syndrome," is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting 40% to 50% of East Asian populations, impairing the activity of the liver enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase ("ALDH2"). When people with ALDH2 deficiency drink alcoholic beverages, there is an accumulation of acetaldehyde, a carcinogenic intermediate in the metabolism of ethanol, in blood and tissues. Published retrospective studies have observed a significant correlation between recurrent drinkers with ALDH2 deficiency and an increase in risk for digestive tract cancers, liver diseases, late-onset Alzheimer's disease and other serious health disorders. In addition to the long-term health risks, elevated acetaldehyde levels produce acute symptoms, including facial flushing, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), headache, nausea and dizziness.

Although ALDH2 deficient people suffer from unpleasant reactions and face long-term health risks, a substantial proportion of them are recurring drinkers of alcoholic beverages. Currently there are no approved treatments for AL
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