SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report: March 17, 1997, 1997
(Date of earliest event reported)
LIDAK PHARMACEUTICALS
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
CALIFORNIA
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
0-18734 33-0314804
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer
Identification No.)
11077 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
(619) 558-0364
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
<PAGE>
Item 5. OTHER EVENTS
The registrant incorporates by reference herein the press
release dated March 17, 1997, attached hereto as Exhibit 99.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibits
(i) Exhibit 99 -- Press Release dated March 17, 1997.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
LIDAK PHARMACEUTICALS
Date: March 24, 1997 By:/s/David H. Katz
------------------------------
David H. Katz, M.D.
President and Chief Executive
Officer
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 99
DATE: MARCH 17, 1997 LIDAK PHARMACEUTICALS CONTACT: Lisa Dawn Katz
NEWS RELEASE Director,
Communications &
Investor Relations
LIDAK Pharmaceuticals
(619) 558-0364,
ext. 256
David H. Katz,M.D.
President/CEO
LIDAK Pharmaceuticals
(619) 450-1538
LIDAK PHARMACEUTICALS REPORTS PROMISING KAPOSI'S SARCOMA TREATMENT DATA
LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA -- March 17, 1997 -- LIDAK Pharmaceuticals
(NASDAQ NNM: LDAKA) announced that a topical formulation of its proprietary
drug, n-docosanol (LIDAKOL_), exhibited promising efficacy in reducing the
progression and severity of Kaposi's Sarcoma skin lesions in HIV-1-infected
AIDS patients in an open-label pilot study. The preliminary results of the
study, which was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Michael J. Scolaro
in Los Angeles, were briefly summarized by Dr. David H. Katz, LIDAK's Chief
Executive Officer, during the Company's annual shareholders meeting on
March 15.
Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) is a serious AIDS-related disease for which
current therapy is unpredictable and unpleasant. Recent studies have
revealed a close association between KS and human herpesvirus (HHV)-8.
Since n-docosanol inhibits most herpes viruses including HHV-6, a close
relative of HHV-8, LIDAK studied the efficacy and safety of n-docosanol 10%
cream as a treatment of cutaneous KS lesions in ten HIV-1-infected
patients.
Twenty-eight KS lesions were evaluated weekly for 4 weeks for effects
of treatment on pigmentation, size and swelling of the lesions. Topical
treatment with n-docosanol 10% cream resulted in a highly significant
(p<0.00098) decrease in overall mean lesion size with nearly 20% of lesions
diminishing by more than 50%. Nine of the ten patients experienced
pronounced lightening of lesion pigmentation. These preliminary results
suggest a promising role for n-docosanol 10% cream as a first-line therapy
in the treatment of HIV-1-associated cutaneous KS lesions.
A full report of the study, including additional results not discussed
at the annual meeting, is scheduled to be presented at The Second
International Conference on Human Herpes Viruses 6, 7, and 8 in Pisa, Italy
the first week of May.
LIDAK Pharmaceuticals is developing therapeutic products against
virally caused diseases, inflammatory disorders and cancer.
# # #
The information contained in this press release should be reviewed in
conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other
publicly available information regarding the Company, copies of which are
available from the Company upon request. Such publicly available
information sets forth many risks and uncertainties related to the
Company's business, including risks and uncertainties related to drug
development and clinical trials.
