Novelos Therapeutics Presents Diapeutic Technology Platform At EMIT: Targeted Radiotherapy International Conference

MADISON, Wis., Jan. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Novelos Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQX: NVLT), a pharmaceutical company developing novel drugs for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer, today announced that an oral presentation on research conducted by Novelos and its collaborators is being made by Dr. Christopher Pazoles at the EMIT: Targeted Radiotherapy international conference taking place January 29 to 31, in Washington, D.C.  This presentation by invitation from EMIT describes the mechanistic foundation for Novelos' diapeutic (diagnostic + therapeutic) technology platform together with animal data and initial findings in advanced cancer patients that demonstrate selective and prolonged accumulation of Novelos' PET imaging I-124-CLR1404 (LIGHT), therapeutic I-131-CLR1404 (HOT) and optical imaging CLR1502 (GLOW2) compounds in a range of tumor types.  Dr. Pazoles is the Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Novelos.

"LIGHT, HOT and GLOW2 were designed to exploit a feature shared by most, if not all, cancer cells including cancer stem cells, which results in the selective uptake and prolonged accumulation of our proprietary, small-molecule delivery vehicle in a wide range of malignant tumors compared with normal tissues," said Dr. Pazoles.  "By incorporating a unique functional property in each – PET imaging, radiotherapy or optical imaging – we have generated an array of potential therapeutic and diagnostic products that could, alone or in combinations, significantly improve the detection and treatment of cancer in multiple ways."

Slides of the presentation are available at www.novelos.com/technology-ip/posters-publications/

In his presentation, titled Cancer-Targeted Diapeutics: Radioiodinated Phospholipid Ether Analogs for Broad-Spectrum Imaging and Therapy, Dr. Pazoles presents data showing that LIGHT, HOT and GLOW2 all share a common cancer-targeted core chemical structure.  Each attaches a unique moiety to this delivery vehicle – LIGHT, a PET imaging agent (iodine-124), HOT, a radiotherapeutic agent (iodine-131) and GLOW2, an optical imaging agent (near-infrared tracer).  Results described with LIGHT demonstrate broad-spectrum tumor PET imaging in dozens of animal tumor models, and recent human findings from ongoing Phase 1-2 clinical trials show selective uptake and retention by primary tumors and metastases in advanced non-small cell lung and brain cancer patients.  HOT results shown include single-dose efficacy in a wide range of animal tumor models, and clinical trials to date demonstrate selective accumulation in cancerous tumors, including metastases.  Dr. Pazoles' presentation highlights the potential diapeutic application of LIGHT and HOT, based on their chemical identity, to provide individualized treatment to cancer patients.  For example, LIGHT serves as an ideal biomarker to potentially identify patients most likely to benefit from therapy with HOT.  Dr. Pazoles' talk also describes how selective uptake of GLOW2 could provide better definition of tumor margins in real time during cancer surgery, enabling more complete and selective removal of malignant tissue and potentially improving patients' prognosis.  Data illustrating the potential use of GLOW2 for non-invasive detection of tumors is also featured.

"We are pleased to share the science behind Novelos' cancer-targeted diapeutic platform with the scientific community attending this international conference," said Harry Palmin, President and CEO of Novelos.  "We continue to make good clinical progress with LIGHT and HOT across multiple human trials while advancing GLOW2 towards human trials."

About Novelos Therapeutics, Inc.
We are a pharmaceutical company developing novel drugs for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer.  Our cancer-targeted compounds are selectively taken up and retained in cancer cells, including cancer stem cells, versus normal cells.  Thus, our therapeutic compounds appear to directly kill cancer cells while minimizing harm to normal cells.  This offers the potential for a paradigm shift in cancer therapy by providing efficacy versus all three major drivers of mortality in cancer: primary tumors, metastases and stem cell-based relapse.  I-124-CLR1404 (LIGHT) is a small-molecule, broad-spectrum, cancer-targeted PET imaging agent.  We believe LIGHT has first-in-class potential and Phase 1-2 clinical trials are ongoing across 11 solid tumor indications.  I-131-CLR1404 (HOT) is a small-molecule, broad-spectrum, cancer-targeted molecular radiotherapeutic that delivers cytotoxic radiation directly and selectively to cancer cells and cancer stem cells.  We believe HOT also has first-in-class potential.  HOT Phase 1b dose-escalation trial is ongoing and, subject to additional funding, we expect HOT to enter Phase 2 trials in the third quarter of 2013 as a monotherapy for solid tumors with significant unmet medical need.  CLR1502 (GLOW2) is a preclinical, cancer-targeted, non-radioactive optical imaging agent for intraoperative tumor margin illumination and non-invasive tumor imaging.  Together, we believe our compounds are able to "find, treat and follow" cancer anywhere in the body in a novel, effective and highly selective way.  For additional information please visit www.novelos.com

INVESTOR CONTACTS
J. Patrick Genn, Vice President of IR, Novelos Therapeutics, Inc., Madison, Wisc. & Boston, Mass., Ph: (858) 775-7456, Email: [email protected]

Anne Marie Fields, Senior Vice President, LHA, Ph: (212) 838-3777, Email: [email protected], @LHA_IR_PR

This news release contains forward-looking statements.  You can identify these statements by our use of words such as "may," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "estimate," "continue," "plans," or their negatives or cognates.  Such statements are valid only as of today, and we disclaim any obligation to update this information.  These statements are only estimates and predictions and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future experience and results to differ materially from the statements made.  These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations as to such future outcomes.  Drug discovery and development involve a high degree of risk.  Factors that might cause such a material difference include, among others, uncertainties related to the ability to attract and retain partners for our technologies, the identification of lead compounds, the successful preclinical development thereof, the completion of clinical trials, the FDA review process and other government regulation, our  pharmaceutical collaborators' ability to successfully develop and commercialize drug candidates, competition from other pharmaceutical companies, product pricing and third-party reimbursement.

SOURCE Novelos Therapeutics, Inc.