NephRx gets patent for treatment of cancer side effect oral mucositis

Kalamazoo’s NephRX has been awarded a U.S. patent for a new treatment that can help cancer patients suffering from a painful side effect of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, known as mucositis.

Mucositis is an inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the mouth, throat or gastrointestinal tract can be so painful that cancer patients stop their treatment.

In severe cases, mucositis prevents eating and often results in hospitalization.

NephRX has launched the toxicology studies of its  peptide NX002 eeded to initiate mucositis clinical trials by year-end.

Mucositis afflicts approximately 15 to 40 percent of patients receiving standard-dose chemotherapy and 76 to 100 percent of patients receiving chemotherapy for bone marrow transplant.

It is estimated 400,000 patients in the United States alone are affected by mucositis each year. And the incidence rises as the use of radiation and chemotherapy increases.

It affects virtually all patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck and gastrointestinal cancers.

NX002 is a peptide derived from the naturally occurring growth factor AMP-18. It has been shown to stimulate the growth of epithelial cells and to promote wound healing after injury.

Its multiple biological properties include the ability to protect cells from injury, stimulate cell growth and migration, and increase the accumulation of proteins that bind cells together.

A peptide is a molecule formed by joining two or more amino acids. When the number of amino acids is less than about 50 these molecules are named peptides while larger sequences are referred to as proteins.

“Issuance of this most recent patent further confirms the promising utility of NX002 as a potential treatment for oral mucositis,” says James Koziarz, President and CEO of NephRx.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: James Koziarz, NephRx