ST. CHARLES, Mo., Jan. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sci-Engi-Medco
Solutions Inc. (SEMCO), a private cancer drug discovery and
development company that explores its proprietary small molecule
anticancer agent technology, announced today that it has been
awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1
contract from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) titled
"Theranostics of Reduction of Cardiotoxicity Using Targeted
Apoptosis Activation Technology." SEM had previously received
a SBIR/Phase 1 in 2015 on a natural Human Beta Defensin (hBD-1) as
an anti-tumor agent, and successfully completed the work in
collaboration with Stanford University.
In 2016, SEMCO was awarded from NCI/NIH an
I-Corps™ grant designed to
support training to overcome key obstacles along the path of
innovation and commercialization. This is the third successive
year that SEMCO has been funded by NIH, for a total greater
than $600,000.
The Theranostics project will be lead by Dr. Raghu Pandurangi, MSc. Ed., Ph.D., founder and
president of SEMCO; Dr. Bengt
Bergstrom, MD, Ph.D., chief medical officer, and Dr.
Jean-Luc Vanderheyden, consultant.
For this grant, SEMCO will be working closely with researchers at
Johns Hopkins University: Dr. Martin
Pomper, MD, Ph.D., director, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular
Imaging and professor of Radiology and Radiological Science,
and Dr. Kathleen Gabrielson,
Ph.D., associate professor, departments of Molecular and
Comparative Pathology and Environmental Health Sciences, School of
Medicine, and Bloomberg School of
Public Health.
"We are honored to be awarded this contract as it provides
Sci-Engi-Medco Solutions an opportunity to explore a novel
approach to cancer treatment by focusing on acute anti-tumor
effect while potentially minimizing the
chronic cardiotoxicity side effects associated with
concurrent chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin. We chose to
target Triple Negative Breast cancer (TNBC), an indication with
potential for orphan drug designation, due to the limited
options for TNBC patients," said
Dr. Pandurangi.
"This contract will provide the company funds to conduct the
critical research. If successful, it could open
evaluating the technology in clinical trial," added
Dr. Bergstrom.
"New drugs that enhance standard therapies by reducing
resistance and preventing re-growth have the potential to improve
clinical practice," according to Prof. Pomper, CO-PI on this
project. "The research will evaluate the feasibility of new
combination therapy regimens in an animal model by determining
simultaneously cell death efficacy and cardiotoxicity using one
imaging system; this will be compared to echocardiography and TUNEL
histology."
This program is funded with federal funds from the National
Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under
Contract R43CA214223.
About Sci-Engi-Medco Solutions Inc.
Sci-Engi-Medco Solutions Inc. is focused on discovery
and development of its proprietary small molecule drugs based on "A
priori Activation of Apoptosis Pathway of Tumor" (AAAPT). AAAPT has
been shown to sensitize both cancer stem cells and low-responsive
resistant cells by activating cell death pathways and inhibiting
survival pathways simultaneously. SEMCO Solutions have patented
their technology through international PCT application.
This press release may contain
"forward-looking statements" with respect
to our expectations or beliefs
concerning future events
and conditions.
Contact:
Dr. Raghu Pandurangi
Sci-Engi-Medco Solutions Inc.
rpandurangi@sci-engi-medco-solutions.com
1-636-734-2923
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sci-engi-medco-solutions-inc-awarded-sbir-phase-1-nci-contract-to-study-its-lead-molecules-in-preclinical-model-of-triple-negative-breast-cancer-300582296.html
SOURCE Sci-Engi-Medco Solutions Inc.