Results of In Vitro Efficacy Tests Indicate That Upstream's Initial Anti-Malaria Drug Candidates Have Activity in the Nanomolar Range
Upstream Biosciences Inc. (OTCBB: UPBS) today announced that in vitro data indicates that the company's novel anti-malaria drug candidates have demonstrated encouraging signs of efficacy against malaria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 500 million people become severely ill with malaria and more than one million people die of the disease each year.Initial in vitro testing conducted by the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (ProvLab) in Alberta, Canada, showed that Upstream's potential drug candidates demonstrated anti-malarial activity in the nanomolar range. Activity in this range in a new class of drugs has the potential to represent an important advance in the treatment of resistant disease.
"These preliminary results indicating that Upstream's novel structural class of anti-parasitic agents is demonstrating promising anti-malarial activity are encouraging, especially in view of the high unmet need for more effective anti-malarial therapies," said Dr. Stephanie Yanow, Program Leader at ProvLab. "We look forward to working with Upstream's researchers to further assess these compounds, as well as other drug candidates in this novel class."
One of the great advantages of Upstream's Chemoinformatics Program combining artificial intelligence, advanced computational methods and chemical diversity techniques is its ability to optimize compounds quickly and cost effectively, incorporating feedback from experiments such as those reported today. Upstream intends to use its proprietary platform to rapidly generate additional drug candidates for the anti-malaria program, further refining and optimizing the therapeutic profile of these promising compounds.
"In recent years, the parasites that cause malaria have become increasingly resistant to older therapies, yet newer drugs are expensive to produce and have other qualities that make their widespread use in the developing world problematic," said Joel L. Bellenson, Chief Executive Officer of Upstream. "We are therefore delighted with these promising in vitro results from our first series of anti-malaria compounds. These agents have also demonstrated high potency, low toxicity and good tolerance in the preclinical studies conducted to date, suggesting that this new structural class of anti-malaria agents could have potential therapeutic utility in this devastating disease."
Upstream's library of novel compounds has also demonstrated encouraging therapeutic potential in vitro against the tropical parasitic diseases leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis, or African sleeping sickness. Malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis are caused by related parasites.
About Malaria
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites of the species Plasmodium that are spread from person to person through the bites of infected mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization, about 40% of the world's population is at risk of malaria. Malaria is endemic in some parts of the world, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, where many of the estimated 500 million malaria cases per year are found. Early diagnosis and treatment can shorten the duration of the disease and prevent death or the development of debilitating complications. However, the malaria-causing parasite's resistance to current medicines continues to undermine malaria control efforts. Malaria disproportionately affects the poor who cannot afford treatment or who have limited access to health care. According to the WHO, in some countries with a heavy malaria burden, the disease may account for as much as 40% of public health expenditure, 30-50% of inpatient admissions and up to 60% of outpatient visits.
About Upstream Biosciences Inc.
Founded in 2004, Upstream Biosciences is a pioneer in the discovery and development of novel drugs for tropical parasitic diseases and in the development of genetic diagnostics for cancer susceptibility and drug response. Upstream's innovative approach to drug discovery and its proprietary data mining pipeline enable it to apply advanced computational approaches to generating novel drug candidates and to locating and analyzing the genetic variations important to disease progression and drug response. For more information, visit www.upstreambio.com.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, the expectation and/or claim, as applicable, that: (i) the Company and ProvLab will begin in vitro testing of the Company's novel compounds for the potential treatment of malaria; and (ii) the Company may progress to further preclinical and clinical studies of the candidates that demonstrate the most promise for the treatment of malaria. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others: (i) the risk that the Company does not execute its business plan; (ii) the inability of the Company to keep pace with technological advancements in the field of genetic diagnostics and the treatment of tropical parasitic diseases; (iii) the Company's inability to adequately protect its intellectual property or the Company's inadvertent infringement of third-party intellectual property; (iv) the Company not being able to retain key employees; (v) competitors providing better or cheaper products and technologies; (vi) markets for the Company's products not developing as expected; (vii) the Company's inability to finance its operations or growth; (viii) inability to obtain all necessary government and regulatory approvals; (ix) the inability to effectively market and commercialize the Company's technologies, including the establishment of viable relationships with third parties; and (x) the conference not proceeding as planned for any reason. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance those beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consider all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosed in the Company's periodic reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov.
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