Biopure Announces Meeting With FDA
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Biopure Corporation (Nasdaq: BPUR) announced today that it has had discussions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on identifying an acceptable patient population for a new clinical trial of Hemopure(R) [hemoglobin glutamer - 250 (bovine)], or HBOC-201. Biopure has proposed to study use of Hemopure in patients suffering from Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) who refuse transfusion with blood components. Currently, AML patients who do not accept blood transfusions are unable to undergo potentially life-saving induction chemotherapy because of the profound anemia the chemotherapy causes. Biopure is preparing to submit a protocol for such patients for consideration by FDA. Patients would give informed consent before being enrolled in this study. An effective treatment for this patient population represents an unmet medical need because of an expected 100% mortality within 6 months in the absence of induction chemotherapy. The purpose of the study would be to assess the efficacy of Hemopure in providing an oxygen carrier in lieu of transfusion with red blood cells, as an adjunct to other special procedures, following induction chemotherapy for AML. A successful trial in this population could be pivotal to establish an intended use for Hemopure in this clinical setting.
"We are very excited at the possibility of initiating a new clinical trial with Hemopure in the U.S. If this trial provides convincing evidence of benefit in this high mortality population, it has the potential to become a pivotal trial for Hemopure's use as an adjunct to AML induction chemotherapy when transfusion with blood components is refused by the patient," said Zafiris G. Zafirelis, Biopure CEO and President. "By serving as an oxygen delivery bridge following chemotherapy-induced suppression of red blood cell count, use of Hemopure, as part of a bloodless treatment regimen, may potentially reduce mortality in these patients, who currently have no hope," he added.
Biopure Corporation
Biopure Corporation develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals, called oxygen therapeutics that are intravenously administered to deliver oxygen to the body's tissues. Hemopure(R) [hemoglobin glutamer - 250 (bovine)], or HBOC-201, is approved for sale in South Africa for the treatment of surgical patients who are acutely anemic. The Company is developing Hemopure for other indications and is supporting the U.S. Navy's government- funded efforts to develop a potential out-of-hospital trauma indication. Biopure's veterinary product Oxyglobin(R) [hemoglobin glutamer - 200 (bovine)], or HBOC-301, the only oxygen therapeutic approved for marketing by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission, is indicated for the treatment of anemia in dogs. Biopure has sold approximately 200,000 units of Oxyglobin since its launch.
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical are forward- looking statements, including any statements implying that any clinical trial will be initiated and/or carried out to completion or that study results will be as desired, and any statements that might imply that Hemopure may receive marketing approval in any jurisdictions other than South Africa or for a trauma indication anywhere. Actual results and their timing may differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties. These risks include, without limitation, uncertainties regarding the company's financial position, including its limited cash resources and need to raise additional capital to pursue its business, the company's ability to satisfactorily address the issues raised in the MHRA correspondence or additional issues raised at a later date, unexpected costs and expenses, delays and adverse determinations by regulatory authorities, unanticipated problems with the product's commercial use, whether or not product related, and with product distributors, sales agents or other third parties, delays in clinical trials, and the other factors identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on June 16, 2008, as amended on June 18, 2008, which can be accessed in the EDGAR database at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) website, http://www.sec.gov. The company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof. A full discussion of the company's operations and financial condition can be found in the company's filings with the SEC.
Contact: Tiana Gorham
Biopure Corporation
(617) 234-6826
[email protected]
SOURCE Biopure Corporation