Introgen Therapeutics Inc announced that INGN 241, its mda-7 based therapy, is a possible treatment for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer will strike more than 25,000 women in the United States this year and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system, according to the American Cancer Society. INGN 241 is also being evaluated in phase 2 clinical testing for various solid tumors.

"We have demonstrated in a variety of preclinical models that INGN 241 is effective in lung, prostate, breast, brain, colorectal and melanoma cancers, however this promising data in ovarian cancer has not been previously reported," said Dr. Rajagopal Ramesh, assistant professor in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and co- author of the publication. "This research augments our conclusion that the drug is effective in treating virtually all cancers."

In the study, Introgen, and its collaborators at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center investigated the anti-tumor activity of INGN 241 and the underlying mechanisms of action in ovarian cancer cells. INGN 241 treated cells express high levels of MDA-7 protein, which induced significant suppression of cell growth and cell death in the ovarian cancer cells, but was not harmful to normal cells. The methods by which the cell killing occurred were also evaluated. Ad-mda7 treatment induced high levels of apoptosis only in ovarian cancer cells, but not normal cells. Molecules involved in apoptotic death pathways were induced by the drug in tumor cells, but not normal cells.

James Merritt, Introgen's chief medical officer said, "Based on these positive results, Introgen is moving forward with other INGN 241 clinical trials to evaluate the broad applicability of INGN 241 in treating different types of cancers, in addition to the ongoing phase 2 study for solid tumors. "We are now designing a registration program for this exciting new cancer therapy," Dr. Merritt added.

The mda-7 gene was discovered by the laboratory of Dr. Paul B. Fisher, professor of clinical pathology and the Michael and Stella Chernow Urological Cancer Research Scientist in the Departments of Neurological Surgery, Pathology and Urology at Columbia University. Introgen holds an exclusive worldwide license for all gene therapy applications from the Corixa Corporation.