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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
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Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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DATE OF REPORT: April 13, 1999
(Date of earliest event reported)
PHOTOGEN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
NEVADA 0-23553 36-4010347
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or Identification No.)
organization)
7327 OAK RIDGE HIGHWAY, SUITE B
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 37931
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(423) 769-4011
(Registrant's telephone number including area code)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
Photogen Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press release
announcing, among other things, that the Company has discovered that a chemical
compound already used for a variety of purposes may be used as a
radiosensitizer, a photoactive drug with the potential to interact with x-ray
energy to destroy abnormal cells. The discovery was made with the assistance of
Dr. Gerald Wolf, Director of the Center for Imaging and Pharmaceutical Research
at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Company's Press Release dated April 13,
1999 is filed as Exhibit 99 hereto.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(c) The following exhibit is filed with this report:
99 Press release of the Company, dated April 13, 1999, announcing,
among other things, the Company's discovery of the use of a
chemical as a radiosensitizer.
SIGNATURES
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 hereunto duly authorized.
Photogen Technologies, Inc.
By: /s/ John Smolik
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John Smolik, President
Date: April 27, 1999
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit Description
No.
<S> <C>
99 Press release of the Company, dated April 13, 1999, announcing,
among other things, the Company's discovery of the use of a
chemical as a radiosensitizer.
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Exhibit 99
AT THE COMPANY:
JOHN SMOLIK
PRESIDENT & CEO
(423) 769-4012
Photogen's Photodynamic Therapy Compound
Effectively Absorbs X-Rays
Pre-clinical Studies to Determine Effectiveness in Destroying Tumor Cells;
Patent Application Filed
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Photogen Technologies, Inc. (OTC
Bulletin Board: PHGN - news) has discovered that a chemical compound already
widely used for a variety of purposes has the ability to bind tightly to tumor
tissue, provide sufficient contrast to clearly show tumor margins during a CAT
scan, and maintain visibility in a tumor for several days. Dr. Gerald Wolf,
Director of the Center for Imaging and Pharmaceutical Research at Massachusetts
General Hospital, assisted Photogen in this research.
Due to these unique advantages, Photogen conceived of using this compound as a
radiosensitizer -- a photoactive drug with the potential to effectively interact
with x-ray energy to destroy abnormal cells. Photogen believes that other
compounds, which have been evaluated as radiosensitizers, merely weaken the cell
but do not react with x-rays in the unique way that Photogen as demonstrated.
"This is an exciting discovery for Photogen that could add an important new
dimension to our capability in photodynamic therapy (PDT), and could result in
new products for our growing development pipeline," said John Smolik, president
and chief executive officer. "We are expanding our understanding of
photochemistry by broadening our definition of PDT. In this instance, we will
study the interaction of a specific compound with very high-energy photons
contained in x-rays. While this compound may be activated by Photogen's
proprietary multi-photon activation methods, it appears that it may also
interact with x-rays in a manner that could achieve a beneficial therapeutic
result using substantially less radiation."
This could give Photogen a dual photodynamic approach to deep tissue therapy.
Photogen hopes to begin a pre-clinical study in the next few weeks, which is
expected to show that radiation together with a direct injection of this
compound will effectively destroy diseased cells. The company has filed an
application for patent protection on its discovery with the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
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Photogen's discovery of this alternative application for the compound under
examination may lead the company to conceive new imaging procedures that could
be used by surgeons to clearly define tumor margins both before and after
treatment. This would help minimize the amount of tissue removed and improve
physicians' ability to destroy tumor cells.
Photogen Technologies, Inc. is a development-stage company focused on creating
photodynamic-related health-care products based on its proprietary multi-photon
excitation and other related technologies. The company has discovered new
methods for using laser-generated light to activate photoactive agents within
deep tissue sufficient to produce a range of beneficial therapeutic and
diagnostic outcomes. These technologies involve methods, materials and devices
that may be used to produce light and photoactive agents that will destroy
diseased cells, remove tissue or identify and diagnose disease. The company has
no products or operating revenues at this time.
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical are
"forward-looking" statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause the company's actual
results in the future to differ materially from expected results. These risks
and uncertainties include: the ability of the company to develop a product and
obtain regulatory approval for its use; the ability of the company to
successfully market and sell any products and equipment; the company's ability
to manufacture products in sufficient quantities; the company's ability to
maintain intellectual property protection for its proprietary products, to
defend its existing intellectual property rights from challenges by third
parties, and to avoid infringing intellectual property rights of third parties;
unforeseen operating risks; the company's ability to secure collaborative
agreements with third parties for various research, development, manufacturing,
marketing and other functions; competition; risks associated with the dependence
on manufacturers of the company's proposed products; the availability of capital
to finance planned activities; and the extent to which the clinicians performing
the procedures are able to obtain third-party reimbursement. These risks are
qualified in their entirely by cautionary language and risk factors set forth in
the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: Photogen Technologies, Inc.
