Second Generation Drug Candidates Were Generated From Upstream's Proprietary Computer-Aided Discovery Technology
Upstream Biosciences Inc. (OTCBB: UPBS) today
announced that it has entered into a collaboration with McGill University's
Institute of Parasitology in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to begin in vitro
testing of the Company's second generation of drug candidates for the
potential treatment of tropical diseases leishmaniasis, trypanaosomiasis
(African sleeping sickness) and malaria.
Joel L. Bellenson, Chief Executive Officer of Upstream, said, "The testing
will evaluate the Company's second generation drug candidates for
anti-parasite activity and safety to human cells. McGill University is one
of Canada's leading universities, and its Institute of Parasitology is
recognized internationally for its research into infectious parasitic
diseases."
"We have designed our second generation of drug candidates based on the
best-performing characteristics of our first generation drug candidates,
which have now advanced into animal testing," said Bellenson. "Our
technology allows us to quickly and cheaply enhance our compounds to have
fewer side-effects and to be more effective at lower dosages."
Upstream's proprietary drug discovery platform utilizes chemoinformatics
which combines chemistry and computer-aided design to accelerate the speed
and reduce the cost of discovering drugs to treat disease.
Upstream's first generation of drug candidates have successfully
demonstrated in vitro anti-parasitic activity, in vitro human cell safety,
and in vivo (in animals) safety for leishmaniasis, trypanaosomiasis and
malaria. Management anticipates that the Company's first generation drug
candidates will undergo in vivo (in animals) efficacy testing before the
end of the third quarter of 2008.
Testing at McGill's Institute of Parasitology will be directed by Dr.
Armando Jardim, who has published an extensive body of research covering
the identification and characterization of parasite drug targets, including
leishmaniasis.
"New treatments are desperately needed for these tropical diseases which
have become resistant to available therapies. Our testing will evaluate the
potential of Upstream's newest compounds," said Dr. Jardim.
The Institute of Parasitology is one of the few centers dedicated to
investigating infectious parasitic diseases. McGill University was
chartered during the British colonial era 46 years before Canadian
confederation in 1867. McGill attracts students from 160 countries around
the world.
