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UNITED STATES
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 (Date of Earliest Event Reported) September 16, 1996
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BOSTON LIFE SCIENCES, INC.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-6533 87-0277826
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(State or other jurisdiction of (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) File No.) Identification No.)
33 Newbury Street, Suite 300
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
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(Address of principal executive offices) Zip Code
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (617) 425-0200
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Item 5. Other Events.
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On September 16, 1996, Boston Life Sciences, Inc., a company engaged in the
research and development of novel treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases,
and central nervous system disorders, announced that its anti-angiogenic factor
appeared to significantly inhibit angiogenesis(new blood vessel formation) in an
animal model of angiogenesis. In the experiment, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)
was implanted into the eyes of mice to stimulate angiogenesis in the cornea.
The mice were then treated for six days with subcutaneous injections of BLSI's
anti-angiogenic factor. At the end of the six day experiment, the extent of
corneal blood vessel formation was measured in control and treated animals.
Compared to control animals, there was significantly less new corneal blood
vessel formation in animals treated with the Company's anti-angiogenic factor.
This experiment demonstrates that subcutaneous administration of the Company's
recombinant anti-angiogenic factor is able to inhibit blood vessel formation in
an accepted, standard animal model of angiogenesis. The apparently successful
systemic delivery of the anti-angiogenic factor together with its earlier
success in cloning and producing this factor now enables the Company to
accelerate its pre-clinical development and scale-up production plans.
Item 8. Exhibits.
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The following Exhibits are filed as part of this report on Form 8-K:
99.1 Press Release, dated September 16, 1996.
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SIGNATURES
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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 authorized.
BOSTON LIFE SCIENCES, INC.
Dated: October 4, 1996 By:/s/ Joseph Hernon
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Joseph Hernon
Chief Financial Officer
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BOSTON LIFE SCIENCES, INC.
CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Page
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99.1 Press Release, dated September 16, 1996 5
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Exhibit 99.1
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
BOSTON LIFE SCIENCES' ANTI-ANGIOGENIC FACTOR FOUND EFFECTIVE IN
PRELIMINARY ANIMAL STUDIES
BOSTON, MASS - SEPTEMBER 16, 1996-- BOSTON LIFE SCIENCES, INC. (NASDAQ: BLSI)
ANNOUNCED THAT ITS ANTI-ANGIOGENIC FACTOR APPEARED TO SIGNIFICANTLY INHIBIT
ANGIOGENESIS (NEW BLOOD VESSEL FORMATION) IN AN ANIMAL MODEL OF ANGIOGENESIS.
IN THE EXPERIMENT, FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR (FGF) WAS IMPLANTED INTO THE EYES OF
MICE TO STIMULATE ANGIOGENESIS IN THE CORNEA. THE MICE WERE THEN TREATED FOR
SIX DAYS WITH SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTIONS OF BLSI'S ANTI-ANGIOGENIC FACTOR. AT THE
END OF THE SIX DAY EXPERIMENT, THE EXTENT OF CORNEAL BLOOD VESSEL FORMATION WAS
MEASURED IN CONTROL AND TREATED ANIMALS. COMPARED TO CONTROL ANIMALS, THERE WAS
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS NEW CORNEAL BLOOD VESSEL FORMATION IN ANIMALS TREATED WITH
THE COMPANY'S ANTI-ANGIOGENIC FACTOR. "THIS EXPERIMENT SHOWS THAT SUBCUTANEOUS
ADMINISTRATION OF OUR RECOMBINANT ANTI-ANGIOGENIC FACTOR IS ABLE TO INHIBIT
BLOOD VESSEL FORMATION IN AN ACCEPTED, STANDARD ANIMAL MODEL OF ANGIOGENESIS.
THIS IMPORTANT DEMONSTRATION OF PROOF OF PRINCIPLE WILL ENABLE US TO PROCEED
WITH CONFIDENCE TO EXTENSIVE PRECLINICAL TESTING IN ANIMAL TUMOR MODELS", STATED
MARC E. LANSER, MD, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER OF BLSI.
"WE ARE EXTREMELY PLEASED THAT OUR COLLABORATING SCIENTISTS, DRS. ROBERT LANGER
AND MARSHA MOSES HAVE ACHIEVED THIS IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE. THE
APPARENTLY SUCCESSFUL SYSTEMIC DELIVERY OF OUR ANTI-ANGIOGENIC FACTOR TOGETHER
WITH OUR EARLIER SUCCESS IN CLONING AND PRODUCING THIS FACTOR NOW ENABLES US TO
ACCELERATE OUR PRE-CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT AND SCALE-UP PRODUCTION PLANS", SAID
DAVID HILLSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF BLSI.
BLSI IS ENGAGED IN THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL TREATMENTS FOR CANCER,
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS. BLSI'S PRODUCTS IN
CLINICAL TRIALS OR IN PRE-CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ANTI-
ANGIOGENESIS FACTOR FOR THE TREATMENT OF SOLID TUMORS; AXOGENESIS FACTOR 1
(AF-1), A NOVEL CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM GROWTH FACTOR; ALTROPANE(TM), A
RADIOIMAGING AGENT FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE; THERAFECTIN(R) FOR
THE TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS; AND TWO TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS TO CONTROL
THE EXPRESSION OF MOLECULES ASSOCIATED WITH AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AND ALLERGIES.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:
MARC E. LANSER, M.D.
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER
617-425-0200
