Preclinical data suggest CuraGen's Velafermin may protect the gastrointestinal tract and decrease associated toxicity following exposure to radiation

Jul 1 2005

CuraGen Corporation announced today that scientists from the Company reported new preclinical data on velafermin (CG53135), CuraGen's Phase II clinical product being developed for the prevention of oral mucositis (OM), suggesting that velafermin may protect the gastrointestinal tract and decrease associated toxicity, including enteritis and diarrhea, following exposure to radiation.

In a poster presentation entitled, "Parenteral administration of velafermin (rhFGF-20) reduces radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome in vivo," it was reported that the incidence of enteritis and diarrhea for animals treated with velafermin was reduced up to 50%. The poster, presented this week at the 17th Annual International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer held by the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and the International Society of Oral Oncology (ISOO), June 30 - July 2 in Geneva, Switzerland, was also selected for the Best of MASCC Poster Award: Questions in Mucositis Research, and will be featured in an oral presentation on Saturday, July 2 from 11:40 - 11:50am.

"Both chemotherapy and radiation could affect the entire length of a cancer patient's gastrointestinal tract. These results suggest that velafermin may play a broader role in cancer supportive care by addressing not only oral mucositis, but potentially for the management of enteritis and diarrhea," stated Timothy M. Shannon, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at CuraGen. "As we continue to advance velafermin through Phase II for the prevention of oral mucositis, these data will support our future intentions of evaluating velafermin for additional indications."