Vasogen Inc. INVESTOR CONTACT
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vasogen Immune Modulation Therapies Regulate Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines
- New Research Findings Point To Additional Areas for Clinical Development -
Toronto, Ontario (December 6, 2000) -- Vasogen Inc. (TSE:VAS; AMEX:MEW) today
announced that University of Toronto researchers have demonstrated the ability
of Vasogen's proprietary immune modulation therapy to significantly
down-regulate two powerful pro-inflammatory cytokines that are implicated in a
number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
The research was conducted in a blinded, placebo-controlled pre-clinical model
of Th1 (T helper lymphocyte) driven inflammation under the direction of Dr.
Daniel Sauder, Professor and Chief of Dermatology at the University of Toronto.
The findings demonstrated that the administration of a course of immune
modulation therapy significantly reduced the expression of the pro-inflammatory
Th1 cytokines Interferon-gamma by 53% (p=0.001) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 52%
(p=0.036), compared to controls.
"These results provide powerful new evidence in support of the fundamental
immune-mediated mechanism of our therapies," said Dr. Anthony Bolton, Vasogen's
Director of Research. "The findings support the broad-based applicability of
Vasogen's immune modulation therapies across a range of inflammatory and
autoimmune conditions and are particularly exciting in light of positive
clinical results recently reported by the Company in both psoriasis and
peripheral vascular disease."
Pro-inflammatory Th1 cytokines, such as Interferon-gamma and IL-6, are signaling
molecules produced by cells of the immune system that play a key role in
regulating immune responses. In autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis,
inappropriate, chronic expression of these pro-inflammatory cytokines leads to
immune cell activation and tissue damage. In inflammatory conditions such as
atherosclerosis, it is known that there is a substantial infiltration of T
lymphocytes into atherosclerotic plaque, resulting in a dominant
pro-inflammatory Th1 cytokine profile within the plaque. Interferon-gamma has
been reported to be a mediator of the damage caused to organs by
ischemia/reperfusion injury, and elevated levels of IL-6 have been demonstrated
in patients suffering from congestive heart failure. Therapies that regulate
excessive pro-inflammatory Th1 cytokine activity would also be expected to be
effective in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis,
and rheumatoid arthritis.
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page 2, December 6, 2000
"The finding that our immune modulation therapy substantially reduces these
pro-inflammatory cytokines is consistent with previously reported results
demonstrating its ability to inhibit inflammation via IL-10, a potent
anti-inflammatory cytokine," continued Dr. Bolton. "While pharmaceutical
therapies typically target only one element in either the pro-inflammatory or
the anti-inflammatory cascade, accumulating evidence indicates that Vasogen's
immune modulation therapies trigger a beneficial response that rebalances the
immune system through both cascades."
Vasogen is advancing the commercial development of immune modulation therapies
for the treatment of a number of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions,
including psoriasis, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure,
ischemia/reperfusion injury, and graft-versus-host disease.
Vasogen is focused on developing immune modulation therapies to advance the
treatment of cardiovascular, autoimmune and related inflammatory diseases.
These therapies are designed to target fundamental disease-causing
events, providing safe, effective treatment.
Statements contained in this press release, including those pertaining to
scientific and clinical research, commercialization plans, strategic alliances,
and intellectual property protection, other than statements of historical fact,
are forward-looking statements subject to a number of uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from statements made.
