LAGUNA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB: PMCB), a biotechnology company focused on developing targeted cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, today announced that it has appointed José L. Iglesias M.D. as Consulting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for its planned Phase 2b clinical trial in locally advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer (LAPC).
Dr. Iglesias brings a wealth of experience in developing and testing a variety of cancer chemotherapeutic agents to PharmaCyte, including key positions with many prominent biotechnology firms including Eli Lilly, Amgen, Abraxis and Celgene. Dr. Iglesias’s body of work is ideally suited to guide PharmaCyte through its planned Phase 2b clinical trial in LAPC. As the global Vice-President of Clinical Development at Celgene, Dr. Iglesias was the lead physician on the team that obtained FDA approval for Abraxane® (the nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine combination), which is a first-line therapy in pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Iglesias is also familiar and experienced with the treatment of various abdominal cancers and the use of gemcitabine in patients. He was instrumental in the design of the Phase 3 clinical trial for the development of nab-paclitaxel for use against metastatic pancreatic cancer while at Celgene.
PharmaCyte’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, stated, “We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Iglesias join PharmaCyte for our planned Phase 2b clinical trial in LAPC. We interviewed a number of impressive candidates, but his experience in dealing with various cancer chemotherapeutic agents and, more importantly, his direct knowledge in treating pancreatic cancer make him the obvious choice for the position of Consulting CMO for our clinical trial.
I would be remiss in not saying that Dr. Manuel Hidalgo, who will be the Principal Investigator for our planned clinical trial in LAPC, personally recommended Dr. Iglesias to us for consideration. Dr. Hidalgo considers Dr. Iglesias to be one of the most brilliant physicians in the field.”
Dr. Iglesias has been awarded numerous prestigious fellowships, and he is the co-author of 68 publications in scientific journals.
To learn more about PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer treatment and how it works inside the body to treat locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer, we encourage you to watch the company’s documentary video complete with medical animations at: https://www.PharmaCyte.com/Cancer
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (PharmaCyte) is a biotechnology company developing cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live cell encapsulation technology known as “Cell-in-a-Box®.” This technology will be used as a platform upon which therapies for several types of cancer and diabetes are being developed. In addition, PharmaCyte is developing and preparing to obtain approval from the U.S. FDA to commercialize a Covid-19 diagnostic kit to meet a critical unmet medical need for such kits during the current pandemic.
PharmaCyte’s therapy for cancer involves encapsulating genetically engineered human cells that convert an inactive chemotherapy drug into its active or “cancer-killing” form. For pancreatic cancer, these encapsulated cells are implanted in the blood supply to the patient’s tumor as close as possible to the site of the tumor. Once implanted, a chemotherapy drug that is normally activated in the liver (ifosfamide) is given intravenously at one-third the normal dose. The ifosfamide is carried by the circulatory system to where the encapsulated cells have been implanted. When the ifosfamide flows through pores in the capsules, the live cells inside act as a “bio-artificial liver” and activate the chemotherapy drug at the site of the cancer. This “targeted chemotherapy” has proven effective and safe to use in past clinical trials and results in little to no treatment related side effects.
PharmaCyte’s therapy for Type 1 diabetes and insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes involves encapsulating a human cell line that has been genetically engineered to produce and release insulin in response to the levels of blood sugar in the human body. PharmaCyte is developing the use of genetically modified liver cells and stem cells, as well as beta islet cells, to treat diabetes. The encapsulation will be done using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology. Once the encapsulated cells are implanted in a diabetic patient, they will function as a “bio-artificial pancreas” for purposes of insulin production.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that express the current beliefs and expectations of the management of PharmaCyte, including the timing and commencement of our planned Phase 2b clinical trial in LAPC, which is subject to IND approval. Any statements contained herein that do not describe historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect our actual results include our ability to raise the necessary capital to fund our operations and to find partners to supplement our capabilities and resources, our ability to submit and get approved our pending IND, as well as such other factors that are included in the periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q that we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward- looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
More information about PharmaCyte can be found at www.PharmaCyte.com. Information may also be obtained by contacting PharmaCyte’s Investor Relations Department.
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Dr. Gerald W. Crabtree Investor Relations:
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc.
Investor Relations Department
Telephone: 917.595.2856 Email:
Info@PharmaCyte.com
Source: PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc.