PR Newswire
10/25/04, 9:26a
(Copyright © 2004, PR Newswire)

VP025 Delays Disease Onset and Prolongs Survival in Preclinical Models

TORONTO, Oct 25, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Vasogen Inc. (NASDAQ:VSGN; TSX:VAS), a research and developer of immune modulation therapies targeting chronic inflammation, today announced that a comprehensive oral presentation of research findings concerning the Company's drug candidate, VP025, was delivered yesterday at Neuroscience 2004, the Society for Neuroscience's 34th Annual Meeting, in San Diego. The previously reported results demonstrate the ability of VP025 to significantly delay the onset of disease and increase survival in a preclinical model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease). Dr. Stanley Appel, Chief of Neurology at the Methodist Hospital, Professor of Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine, and member of Vasogen's Scientific Advisory Board, directed these research studies.

"We are pleased that this VP025 research was selected for oral presentation at such a prestigious event as the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting," stated Dr. Appel. "These results demonstrate strong anti-inflammatory effects of VP025 in the central nervous system, and suggest that these effects may be useful in slowing the progression of ALS, a devastating disease for which there is a desperate need for more effective therapies."

Vasogen has accumulated a substantial amount of evidence that VP025 has the ability to significantly inhibit neuro-inflammation in a number of different preclinical models. In ALS, the immune system is thought to actively contribute to motor neuron injury through inflammatory processes. Prominent pathological features of ALS are the presence of dendritic cells and activated microglia in spinal cord tissue. In a preclinical model of ALS, intramuscular injection of VP025 significantly delayed disease onset (p (equal sign) 0.009) and prolonged survival (p (equal sign) 0.004). Examination of spinal cord sections also revealed a suppression of microglial cell activation when compared with controls.

ALS is one of the most common neuromuscular diseases worldwide. It is a neurodegenerative disease that progresses rapidly and attacks nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS leads to muscle weakening and wasting, resulting in paralysis and eventual death. As many as 30,000 Americans have ALS, and an estimated 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease each year. ALS most commonly strikes people between 40 and 60 years of age, but younger and older people can also develop the disease.

VP025, the lead product candidate from a new class of structurally related drugs, is being developed for the treatment of chronic neuro- inflammatory disorders. VP025 is designed to interact with immune cells leading to the modulation of cytokines - potent chemical messengers that regulate and control inflammation.

Neurological conditions that are associated with an inflammatory response in the nervous system include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ALS. These indications are characterized by increased levels of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, leading to the death of nerve cells and the eventual loss of functional activity. Due to the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality associated with neuro-inflammatory diseases, they represent a significant medical, social, and financial burden.