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***PKTX..ProtoKinetix Announces Start of Phase 1 & Phase 2 Clinical Trials for the use of AAGP™ PKX-001 Treated Islet Cells in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes
St. Marys, West Virginia, March 9, 2017
ProtoKinetix, Incorporated (OTC: PKTX) (the "Company" or "ProtoKinetix") (www.protokinetix.com) today announced the start of a Phase 1 first-in-human clinical trial of AAGP™ PKX-001 treated islet cells used in conjunction with the Edmonton Protocol for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. The first patient has been treated under this protocol. The trial is being led by Dr. James Shapiro, MD, PhD, FRCSC, MSM FCAHS, AHS Director of Clinical Islet and Living Donor Liver Transplant Programs, Canada Research Chair in Transplant Surgery and Regenerative Medicine, Professor of Surgery, Medicine and Surgical Oncology, University of Alberta.
PKX-001 is the designation given to the drug product molecule of the AAGP™ family. Islet cell transplants are well recognized as a viable and effective treatment for Type 1 diabetes. The PKX-001 Study will treat islet cells prior to transplantation into human test subjects. The clinical trials will be assessing any side effects or physiological damage to the test subjects. The study will also be looking for indications of protection from tacrolimus toxicity and enhanced engraftment survival of the transplanted cells. The trial follows extensive preclinical evaluation in animal models.
The Phase 1 first-in-human study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of AAGP™ PKX-001 treated islets while the Phase 2 component will be evaluating the efficacy of adding AAGP™ PKX-001 treated islets to the already established Edmonton Protocol.
“If the findings translate to the clinic in a manner that reflects the preclinical studies, AAGP™ has the potential to substantially improve outcomes in patients receiving islet transplants today, and future stem cell therapies.” said Dr. James Shapiro, MD, PhD, FRCSC, MSM FCAHS, AHS Director of Clinical Islet and Living Donor Liver Transplant Programs, Canada Research Chair in Transplant Surgery and Regenerative Medicine, Professor of Surgery, Medicine and Surgical Oncology, University of Alberta.
Dr. James Shapiro Bio
About the Edmonton Protocol
About ProtoKinetix, Incorporated
ProtoKinetix is a molecular biotechnology company that has developed and patented a family of hyper stable, potent glycopeptides (AAGP™) that enhance both engraftment and protection of transplanted cells used in regenerative medicine. Due to the results achieved over the last four years of testing, the University of Alberta has begun Phase 1/2 human clinical trials at the University of Alberta. Additional studies will be expanded to include whole organ transplantation and other cell therapies used in regenerative medicine.
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