Soricimed's Peptides Used to Detect Ovarian and Prostate Cancer

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 19, 2013) - Soricimed Biopharma Inc., a private clinical stage company developing novel cancer therapeutics and diagnostics, reported results from molecular imaging investigation that provided a proof-of-concept for the use of SOR peptides to detect and potentially treat ovarian, breast, thyroid, prostate and colon cancer. The findings have been published in PLOS ONE, an international, peer-reviewed, online publication (full manuscript can be found at http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0058866).

Soricimed developed SOR peptides from Soricidin, a 54-amino acid peptide, found in the paralytic venom of the northern short-tailed shrew. These peptides, SOR-C13 and SOR-C27, are high-affinity antagonists of human TRPV6 channels that are upregulated in a number of cancers. The molecular imaging methods demonstrate the in vivo diagnostic potential of SOR-C13 and SOR-C27 to target tumor sites in mice bearing ovarian and prostate tumors, suggesting that these novel peptides may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of TRPV6-rich tumors, such as those found in ovarian, breast, thyroid, prostate and colon cancer, as well as certain leukemia's and lymphomas.

"Despite recent advances with identification, cancers such as ovarian, remain difficult to detect and are typically identified only after they have metastasized to other parts of the body, leading to low survival rates", commented Jack Stewart, Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of Soricimed Biopharma Inc. "As calcium ion influx channels, termed TRPV channels, have emerged as potential cancer biomarkers, exciting opportunities for the development of improved tumor detection and targeted drug therapy have opened up. We, at Soricimed, are developing peptide-drug conjugates that target these tumours-our peptide binds to TRPV6 delivering its drug payload directly to the tumour site, offering new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues for the early detection and treatment of TRPV6-rich tumors."

Soricimed Biopharma and the National Research Council of Canada collaborated on the publication of this manuscript titled 'In vivo detection of TRPV6-rich tumors with anti-cancer peptides derived from soricidin.'

ABOUT SORICIMED BIOPHARMA

Soricimed Biopharma Inc., a private Canadian clinical stage company developing novel cancer therapeutics and diagnostics, was created in 2005 by Professor Jack Stewart and Paul Gunn following the discovery and development of a proprietary peptide, soricidin. Soricidin is the basis for Soricimed Biopharma Inc.'s targeted cancer management program focused on cancer therapeutics and diagnostics. Using focused innovative strategies in collaboration with major world-class cancer research institutions, Soricimed's drugs have demonstrated a capability to reduce cancer cell viability, induce apoptosis and to reduce human tumour volume while minimizing side-effects in various classic animal and in vitro tumour models. Soricimed's first cancer drug in undergoing Phase I clinical trials. Privately held, Soricimed is funded through private investors and various programs from the Government of Canada. For more information please visit, www.soricimed.com.