SAN DIEGO, Feb. 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ciclofilin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Ciclofilin" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company focused on the development of broad spectrum antivirals, today announced that the Company has been issued a patent in Japan for its cyclophilin inhibitor drugs entitled "Nonimmunosuppressive Cyclosporine Analogue Molecules."
The Company's lead molecule, CPI-431-32, is a candidate medicine that is designed to target and inhibit a host cellular enzyme known as cyclophilin A ("CyPA"). CyPA is responsible for activation of viral proteins critical for the life cycles of hepatitis B virus ("HBV"), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 ("HIV-1"), and hepatitis C virus ("HCV"). By understanding the nature of how cyclophilins play a role in viral replication, the Company has developed CPI-431-32, for the treatments of HBV, HIV-1, and HCV, as well as the treatment of infection with more than one of these viruses simultaneously (co-infection). Co-infection, in particular, represents an underserved, difficult-to-treat and unique patient population.
"Within the industrialized world, Japan has one of the highest rates of liver cancer linked directly to infection with HCV/HBV viruses," stated Dr. Cosme Ordoñez, Ciclofilin's President. "The burden of HBV/HCV related liver cancers in the East Asia Region, including Japan, represents about 66% of the total number of patients suffering from this disease worldwide. Given the prevalence of these infections and co-infections in Japan, and the associated health care burden, we believe that our drug could potentially be an effective treatment for these diseases, especially in co-infected patients."
About Ciclofilin Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Ciclofilin is a life sciences company based in San Diego, California, with R&D facilities in Edmonton, Canada. The company's antiviral drug pipeline is uniquely designed to target cyclophilins and render cells resistant to viral infection. Host cell cyclophilins are excellent drug targets because they are used by many viruses and at multiple stages of viral life cycles to propagate infections. Unlike most other antivirals used in practice or in development, Ciclofilin's antivirals do not target the virus. By targeting host molecules and not the virus, Ciclofilin's lead drug is less susceptible to emerging resistance and is truly pangenotypic. Ciclofilin is developing a broad spectrum antiviral for the treatment of patients co-infected with hepatitis B ("HBV"), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 ("HIV-1"), and hepatitis C ("HCV") viruses. Approximately 25% of HIV patients are co-infected with HCV, and about 10% are co-infected with HBV. There are about 20,000 HBV/HCV co-infected patients in the U.S. and about 35-70 million HBV/HCV patients worldwide. Co-infected patients progress at a faster rate to end-stage liver disease than mono-infected patients, and co-infection more than triples the risk of liver disease, liver failure, and liver-related death. End-stage liver disease (liver inflammation and fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma) is the main cause of death and hospitalization for HIV patients, and cyclophilin inhibitors, as a class, are known to exhibit anti-fibrotic properties, which may further amplify the benefits of this approach to treating viral infections. Ciclofilin is also testing for antiviral activity towards human papilloma virus ("HPV"), coronaviruses, and other viruses.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, with respect to the potential of our lead drug CPI-431-32 for the treatment of human viral diseases. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the significance of our preclinical results and potential applications of our compound for the treatment of co-infected patients. Statements that are not historical facts are based on our management's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and our management's beliefs and assumptions. The statements contained in this release are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed in such forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this release, and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Ciclofilin undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, except as required by applicable law.