BATON ROUGE, La., June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Esperance Pharmaceuticals Inc. today reported positive results from a Phase II trial of lead candidate EP-100 in ovarian cancer patients resistant to paclitaxel. EP-100 is a targeted membrane-disrupting peptide designed to seek and destroy cancer cells that overexpress luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) receptors on their surfaces. LHRH receptors are over-expressed in a wide range of cancers.

Results of the randomized, multi-center Phase II trial of EP-100 were presented at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting on May 30, 2015 by Alpa M. Nick, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, and study Principal Investigator, Robert Coleman, MD, Professor, both in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.¹

EP-100 is a synthetic targeted cytolytic peptide conjugated to LHRH. It targets cancer cells that over-express LHRH receptors and kills by disrupting the cell membranes. Preclinical studies have demonstrated anti-cancer synergy between EP-100 and paclitaxel, which is the current standard of care for the treatment of ovarian cancer. The Phase II trial enrolled 50 patients and was designed to explore the efficacy, safety and toxicity of a regimen combining EP-100 and paclitaxel in women with advanced ovarian cancer. The authors reported that EP-100 appears to sensitize paclitaxel-resistant ovarian tumors, leading to further tumor shrinkage and prolonged treatment response, and concluded that a larger study of EP-100 in paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer patients is warranted.

"The successful completion of this Phase II trial is a major milestone for Esperance," said Hector Alila, PhD, CEO of Esperance Pharmaceuticals. "EP-100's ability to sensitize ovarian tumors to further treatment in a resistant population with advanced disease is an important validation for both EP 100 and our Cationic Lytic Peptide (CLYP^TM) platform technology. We have begun planning a Phase III registration trial for EP-100 and are assessing options for further development of other anti-cancer drug candidates in our pipeline."

About EP-100

EP-100, the lead candidate from Esperance's Cationic Lytic Peptide (CLYP) platform technology, is a targeted membrane-disrupting peptide designed to seek and destroy cancer cells that overexpress luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) receptors on their surfaces. LHRH receptors are overexpressed in a wide range of cancers including breast, prostate, endometrial, pancreatic, ovarian, blood, skin and testicular cancers. Results from preclinical studies of EP-100 have shown that the drug regresses established tumors in many types of cancer xenografts in mice. EP-100 was developed at Pennington Biomedical Research Center under a sponsored research agreement funded by Esperance under the leadership of Dr. Hector Alila and Pennington's Dr. Carola Leuschner, who is now Senior Director of Biology at Esperance. 

¹ EP-100 + paclitaxel overcomes taxane resistance in patients with recurrent LHRH-receptor expressing ovarian cancer. AM Nick, R Urban, ME Gordinier, C Leuschner, T Rado, LM Bavisotto, J Whisnant, RL Coleman
Abstract No: 5582

About Esperance Pharmaceuticals

Esperance Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical stage company developing a new class of targeted anticancer drugs using its Cationic Lytic Peptide (CLYP^TM) platform technology. These drug candidates, include targeted membrane-disrupting peptides and antibody drug conjugates that selectively seek and destroy cancer cells, including cells known to be resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs, without harming normal cells. Targeting occurs through binding to specific receptors and antigens on the cell's surface. The Company was founded on patented technology discovered by scientists at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Louisiana State University. For more information, visit esperancepharma.com.

Contact:
Esperance Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Hector Alila
hector@esperancepharma.com

Media:
Barbara Lindheim
BLL Partners LLC
212 584-2276
blindheim@bllbiopartners.com

SOURCE Esperance Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.esperancepharma.com