EDMONTON, Alberta, July 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Isotechnika Pharma Inc. (TSX:ISA) ("Isotechnika" or the "Company") today announced that it has received approval for funding from the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) for its Non-Immunosuppressive Cyclosporin Analog Molecules ("NICAMs") program.
NRC-IRAP previously assisted Isotechnika in the discovery of a series of NICAMs that were shown to be potent inhibitors of a class of proteins called cyclophilins. Years of research with cyclosporine A has shown that cyclophilins are involved in a vast array of disease processes. Through Isotechnika's collaboration with NRC-IRAP, the Company's scientists were introduced to contacts at the United States National Institutes of Health ("NIH"), which resulted in a three year agreement whereby NIH-funded contractors will evaluate selected NICAMs for use in biodefense and against emerging infectious disease threats as previously announced on April 11, 2012.
The current project extends Isotechnika's research into the use of NICAMs for reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury, the major disease mechanism that occurs in heart attacks, strokes, and other traumatic events involving impaired blood flow to vital organs.
"NRC-IRAP's assistance, along with that from the NIH, has enabled us to more rapidly extend our R&D efforts into proprietary NICAMs," commented Dr. Robert Foster, Isotechnika's CEO. "It has also served as important additional external validation of our NICAMs program."
About Isotechnika Pharma Inc.
Isotechnika Pharma Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of immunomodulating therapeutics designed to offer key safety advantages over currently available treatments. Its lead drug, voclosporin, is a calcineurin inhibitor, and is targeted at the estimated US$3.0 billion market for this class of immunosuppressants. Isotechnika Pharma Inc. trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ISA". More information on Isotechnika Pharma can be found at www.isotechnika.com or www.sedar.com.
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