Message #34 From:
Stock News Bot Date: December 21, 2006 05:00:00 AM
OXIS News Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, President and CEO of Oxis, Clarifies Company Role in Developing Biomarkers for Predictive Medicine and Research
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OXIS International (OTCBB: OXIS) (Nouveau Marché:
OXIS) (FWB: OXI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing
research assays, nutraceutical and therapeutic products related to
oxidative stress and, through its majority interest in BioCheck, a
leading provider of high quality immunoassay clinical kits and contract
services, today released a statement by its President and CEO Marvin S.
Hausman MD about the future direction of the Company. Dr. Hausman’s
statements were in response to questions from investors about Oxis
International’s involvement in the rapidly
growing field of developing and introducing early predictive biomarkers
in clinical applications as reported in a Wall
Street Journal article on December 15, 2006, entitled “The
Rush to Biomarker Tests.”
Dr. Hausman stated, “Our corporate focus is to
create biomarkers to detect diseases at their earliest stages thereby
allowing physicians and other medical practitioners to intervene early
and employ the best therapeutic agents for that particular disease. We
believe that the ability to predict the early onset of disease will
potentially open the door to earlier treatment with less toxic agents,
perhaps even the use of potent naturally occurring antioxidants.
Moreover, these early screening approaches may lead to a dramatic change
in the outcome of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and
Alzheimer’s disease.”
The Forbes.com December 8, 2006 newsletter states “Pfizer’s
(Symbol: PFE) Warning Signs; Years before its heart drug failed in
massive human trials, there were indications such drugs might be
dangerous.” Dr. Hausman commented, “Perhaps
a screening test for levels of oxidized HDL, targeting patients and
their disease, may have allowed Pfizer to develop specific responsive
subsets of patients with atherosclerotic disease who would have better
outcomes with the drug Torcetrapib.”
Dr. Hausman added, “Oxis International and
its majority owned subsidiary BioCheck have developed biomarker-based
tests to detect proteins and other substances in the blood that can
predict and/or detect disease at a very early stage. For example, an
Oxis antibody was used in a Cleveland Clinic study published in October
23, 2003 in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled ‘Prognostic
Value of Myeloperoxidase in Patients with Chest Pain.’
And more recently, Cancer Research, November 15, 2006, featured an
antibody developed by BioCheck, in an article entitled ‘Reassessment
of ID1 Protein Expression in Human Mammary, Prostate, and Bladder
Cancers Using a Monospecific Rabbit Monoclonal Anti-ID1 Antibody’.”
“Our biomarkers have the potential to become
standards of practice in predicting certain myocardial events as well as
the diagnosis of cancer,” said Dr. Hausman. “We
will continue to add these types of products to our product line of over
80 biomarker assays and/or kits, many of which could be used to detect
diseases at their earliest stages in an attempt to significantly improve
patient outcomes.”
About OXIS and BioCheck:
OXIS International, Inc. develops technologies and products to research,
diagnose, treat and prevent diseases of oxidative stress associated with
damage from free radical and reactive oxygen species. The company holds
the rights to three therapeutic classes of compounds in the area of
oxidative stress, and has focused commercialization programs in clinical
cardiovascular markers, including MPO (myeloperoxidase) and GPx
(glutathionione peroxidase), as well as a highly potent antioxidant,
Ergothioneine, that may be sold over-the-counter (OTC) as a
neutraceutcal supplement. OXIS has acquired a 51% interest in and has
the option to purchase the remaining 49% of BioCheck.
BioCheck, Inc. is a leading provider of high quality enzyme immunoassay
research services and products including immunoassay kits for cardiac
and tumor markers, infectious diseases, thyroid function, steroids, and
fertility hormones. The company operates a 15,000 square-foot, U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) certified cGMP, and ISO
device-manufacturing facility in Foster City, California.
The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, including, without limitation, statements regarding our
expectations, objectives, anticipations, plans, hopes, beliefs,
intentions or strategies regarding the future. Factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements
include risks and uncertainties indicated in the company’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is important to
note that actual outcomes could differ materially from those in such
forward-looking statements.
