CRANBURY, N.J., March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in cancer metabolism-based therapeutics, today announced encouraging results of a preclinical toxicity study of azide drug-loaded Emulsiphan nano emulsions conducted with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under a Collaboration Agreement. Emulsiphan is Cornerstone's proprietary nanoparticle drug delivery system.
"We are so pleased that Cornerstone has received a report from NCI indicating that Emulsiphan appears to be safe and capable as a drug delivery solution for anticancer agents," said Dr. Robert Shorr, CEO of Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
"Combining anticancer agents with a targeted drug delivery technology, such as Emulsiphan, could greatly improve patient outcomes. We look forward to the next phase of preclinical study in our ongoing collaboration with NCI."
The preclinical study, which looked at the safety of azide drug-loaded Emulsiphan nano emulsions, is the first step in a collaboration between Cornerstone and NCI to apply Cornerstone's drug delivery platform to a class of novel chemotherapy agents developed by Dr. Yossef Raviv in the laboratory of the renowned biologist Dr. Robert Blumenthal at NCI's Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Program.
Selective drug delivery remains a formidable challenge in the successful treatment of cancer. Often, just a small percentage of the active ingredients in chemotherapies administered to treat tumors ever reach the desired target within cancer cells and considerable amounts of drug spread to healthy cells and tissue.
Emulsiphan is a novel, cancer selective drug-delivery nanotechnology that aims to deposit cancer-fighting drugs directly into cancer cells--not just the tumor mass--by focusing on the distinct metabolism of these cells. The nanotechnology is designed to maximize drug concentration into tumor cells, thereby enhancing the anti-cancer compounds' selectivity and specificity, leading to a potentially safer and more effective cancer treatment.
About Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals
Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately held company committed to changing the way cancer is treated through the discovery and development of innovative therapies capitalizing on the unique metabolic processes of cancer cells. The company's founding members, management and scientific advisory team include pre-eminent scientists focused on cancer cell metabolism, cancer research and drug development. Cornerstone currently has a drug in clinical trials targeting enzymes crucial to cancer cell metabolism. AEMD compounds, the company's unique approach to cancer treatment, is the leading platform in cancer metabolism. It has facilitated the discovery of first-in-class drugs and a novel drug delivery technology - both with the potential to transform the way cancer is treated.