SANTA BARBARA, Calif.,
June 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- VG
Life Sciences, Inc., (OTCQB: VGLS), a biotechnology company
developing therapies for cancer, autoimmune and infectious
diseases, announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) will issue Patent No. 9073985 covering VGLS' combination
therapy for treating drug-resistant cancer by combining an
autophagy inhibitor with a chemotherapy drug.
In addition, the USPTO will extend the term of the patent an
extra 684 days to account for the time taken to process the
application.
"This patent strengthens and broadens VGLS' intellectual
property that has already been translated into promising results
during Phase I clinical trials in which the combination therapies
were shown to be safe and tolerable, while also showing tumor size
reduction and stabilization in patients with metastatic cancers,"
said John Tynan, VGLS Chief
Executive.
Since cancer cells rapidly divide, they have very high energy
demands. They employ unique mechanisms to meet these demands,
mechanisms not found in healthy cells. VGLS' technology targets
those pathways that the cells may use to fuel themselves,
inhibiting autophagy.
Hydroxychloroquine, the inhibiting compound used in the
combination therapy, disrupts the cancer cells' metabolic
strategies, weakens their repair functions, slows their growth and
makes them more sensitive to the chemotherapy drugs.
VGLS has completed a Phase I clinical trial of the combination
therapy at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the
University of Texas Health Sciences
Center at San Antonio. The trial
involved patients with solid tumors and examined the safety and
efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine in combination with sorafenib
(marketed as Nexavar®) co-developed by Bayer AG and Onyx
Pharmaceuticals.
Primary investigator and medical oncologist Dr. Tyler Curiel, M.D., M.P.H., reported: "There are
sufficient evaluable patients to conclude that this combination,
maximum dose, and schedule are sufficiently safe for additional
clinical testing. In addition, the study found tumor reduction and
stabilization in a number of patients in the third and fourth
cohorts who had higher dosing."
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 40 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
Visit www.VGlifesciences.com
Contact:
Media - Terri Somers
Somers Media
terri@somersmedia.com
619-991-2369
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vg-life-sciences-granted-combination-cancer-drug-patent-300102286.html
SOURCE VG Life Sciences, Inc.