Thursday, August 5, 2010

http://www.proactivenewsroom.com/access-pharma-blog/bid/49089/Access-Pharmaceuticals-OTCBB-ACCP-Updates-on-MuGard-Launch-and-Clinical-Development-Program-of-Thiarabine

Access Pharma has reached the "execution stage" with their MuGard product with is a novel ready-to-use mucoadhesive oral wound rinse and coating for the management of oral mucositis, a debilitating side effect of many anticancer treatments.

*Up to 40% of all patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy develop moderate to severe mucositis, and almost all patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (40,000-50,000 annually) and those undergoing stem cell transplantation develop mucositis.

*Oral mucositis is an untapped market in comparison to other side effects of chemotherapy.

*ACCP has started sampling programs at the Company's MuGard Center of Excellence.

*Head and neck IS the "low hanging fruit: according to Frank, and the other sampling programs beyond head and neck have gone well.

*Updated clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of mucositis recommend the use of a preventive oral care regimen as part of routine supportive care along with a therapeutic oral care regimen if mucositis develops.

*Distribution to physicians is being handeled by Imedicor (OTCBB: VMCI) and DMS.

*CEO Jeff Davis (video) mentioned that they are receiving feedback from overseas on MuGard.

*The reimbursement process is "well underway".

*The market for the treatment of oral mucositis is estimated to be in excess of $1 billion world-wide.

Access Pharma also announced it has initiated a Phase I/II study of its proprietary, anti-cancer drug, Thiarabine, a nucleoside analog for patients with hematologic malignancies (cancers of the blood). The primary objective of the study is to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in two different dosing schedules with various leukemias and lymphomas and recommended Phase II dose. The program is being led by Hagop Kantarjian, M.D., Chair of the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.