ECOPIA TO INCLUDE PANCREATIC CANCER IN ONGOING STUDY

Ecopia BioSciences announced it has received a "no objection" letter from the Therapeutics Products Directorate of Health Canada for the amendment to the ongoing Phase I clinical trial related to the company's anti-cancer agent, ECO-4601, allowing for the inclusion of pancreatic cancer patients. This selective inclusion of pancreatic cancer patients is consistent with Ecopia's clinical plans to focus on fast-track opportunities, including glioma.

Recent supportive evidence shows that ECO-4601 is a potent inhibitor of the RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (RAS-MAPK) pathway, which is an important validated target for anticancer therapies. The RAS genes (H-Ras, K-Ras, and N-Ras) are the most frequently mutated oncogenes, occurring in approximately 30 percent of all human cancers. The K-Ras is the most common mutated gene, with the highest incidence detected in pancreatic cancer.

ECO-4601 is a small molecule that crosses the blood-brain barrier and is effective in significantly inhibiting tumor growth in several xenograft models. It acts through a dual action by blocking the RAS pathway as well as by binding to the Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor, a receptor highly expressed in many cancer cells. ECO-4601 represents a new chemical class owned by Ecopia that is now in a Phase I clinical trial.