FORM 6 - K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of September 2000
Commission File Number 0-29350
VASOGEN INC.
(Translation of Registrant's name into English)
2155 Dunwin Drive, Suite 10, Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 4M1
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover Form 20 - F or Form 40 - F.)
Form 20 - F [X] Form 40 - F [_]
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.)
Yes [_] No [X]
This Form 6-K consists of:
A press release issued by Vasogen Inc. on September 12, 2000, entitled: "Vasogen
Announces Pre-clinical Results in Rhemumatoid Arthtitis".
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
VASOGEN INC.
By /s/ Christopher Waddick
---------------------------------------
(Name: Christopher Waddick)
(Title: Vice-President, Finance & CFO)
Date: September 13, 2000
<PAGE>
Vasogen Inc.
INVESTOR CONTACT
2155 Dunwin Drive
Mississauga, ON, Canada L5L 4M1 Glenn Neumann
tel: (905) 569-2265 fax: (905) 569-9231 Investor Relations
www.vasogen.com tel: (905) 569-9065
e-mail: [email protected]
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vasogen Announces Pre-clinical Results in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Toronto, Ontario (September 12, 2000) -- Vasogen Inc. (TSE:VAS; AMEX:MEW) today
announced results from University of Toronto researchers indicating that the
Company's immune modulation therapy, VAS972, significantly inhibits joint
swelling in a pre-clinical model of acute inflammation used to study rheumatoid
arthritis.
These results, from research directed by Dr. Li Zhang of the Department of
Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Toronto General Hospital, University of
Toronto, were obtained using an animal model of acute inflammation,
adjuvant-induced arthritis. The preliminary results showed that the
administration of Vasogen's immune modulation therapy significantly reduced
joint swelling in the treated animals by 52% (p < 0.05) compared to control
animals. Furthermore, this inhibitory effect was shown to last for three months
following a single course of therapy.
"Following our recent discovery of the involvement of the anti-inflammatory
cytokine IL-10 in the mechanism of Vasogen's immune modulation therapies, we are
now investigating its therapeutic potential in additional inflammatory
conditions beyond those currently in clinical development," said Dr. Anthony
Bolton, Vasogen's Director of Research. "The results announced today represent
the first outcome of a broader research program aimed at identifying new
therapeutic targets."
Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis,
multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease, refer to a large group of
chronic, often serious illnesses, that together affect over 80 million people
worldwide. Vasogen is currently conducting clinical trials in North America and
Europe in peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure,
ischemia/reperfusion injury, graft-versus-host disease, and psoriasis, all of
which have a significant inflammatory component. The results from the first of
these clinical trials are expected in October of this year.
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.
