SANTA BARBARA, Calif.,
Dec. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- VG Life
Sciences, (OTC Pink: VGLS) a biotechnology company, announces today
an update to its Physician-IND Phase I Study to test tolerability
and toxicity of its patented technology in patients with advanced
stage solid tumors.
This study is being conducted at the Cancer Therapy and Research
Center at the University of Texas
Health Sciences Center at San
Antonio . The primary investigator is medical oncologist
Tyler Curiel, M.D., MPH and is based
on the research of Dr. M. Karen
Newell-Rogers, PhD VG Life Sciences, Inc.'s Chief Scientific
Advisor.
The study, which is ongoing in patients with refractory or
relapsed solid tumors, examines the safety and efficacy of
hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), in combination with sorafenib (marketed
as Nexavar®), which was co-developed by Bayer AG and Onyx
Pharmaceuticals. VG Life Sciences, Inc. holds the use patent for
this combination treatment.
The study is reporting two clinical responses in cohort 3:
disease stabilization in a patient with metastatic ovarian cancer
for 4 months, and disease stabilization going into its fifth month
in a patient with triple negative breast cancer. Further test
information and data will be forthcoming.
"This is significant news", said John
Tynan, President and CEO of VG Life Sciences, Inc. "The
special characteristics of triple negative breast cancer make this
unique application noteworthy."
The fourth and final cohort will begin in January which will
increase the HCQ dosage from cohort 3. For
procedural reasons the start of the final cohort was delayed as
previously reported.
VG Life Sciences, Inc.'s research postulates
that when the tumor cells' specific energy strategies are
interrupted with "metabolic disrupting" agents such as HCQ, the
consequences are two-fold: the cancer cells can no longer generate
energy needed to survive and the disruption of the intracellular
energy levels reduces their ability to repair damage from other
cytotoxic agents, resulting in a much greater sensitivity to
chemotherapy and radiation.
The goal with this treatment is to weaken the drug resistant
cancer cells so that they may be sensitized to other treatments as
well as become vulnerable to the body's immune system. Thus, this
Physician-IND Phase I Study is an important clinical step to prove
this research.
About VG Life Sciences Inc.
Santa Barbara, California-based
VG Life Sciences Inc., formerly known as Viral Genetics, is a
biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing drug
therapies for cancer, infectious disease, and inflammatory,
autoimmune disorders. VGLS controls over 50 US and international
patents and pending patents protecting its exclusive biotech
platform technologies. For more information and upcoming events,
visit www.vglifesciences.com or find VG Life Sciences, Inc. on
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Safe Harbor Statement and Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties associated with financial
projections, milestone timelines, clinical development, regulatory
approvals and other risks described by VG Life Sciences from time
to time in its periodic reports. None of VG Life Sciences' drug
compounds are approved by the US FDA or by any comparable
regulatory agencies elsewhere in the world. Therefore, there can be
no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this
release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant
uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included
herein, the forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a
representation by VG Life Sciences or any other person that the
objectives and plans of VG Life Sciences will be achieved.
Contact:
Alexandria Sumner, Corporate
Communications
VG Life Sciences, Inc.
Phone: (805) 679-6763
Email: Asumner@vglifesciences.com
SOURCE VG Life Sciences, Inc.