DGAP-Media: TAVARGENIX GmbH: Inhibition of carbohydrate fermentation leads to sensitivity to chemo- and radiation therapy in cancer cells

DJ DGAP-Media: TAVARGENIX GmbH: Inhibition of carbohydrate fermentation leads to sensitivity to chemo- and radiation therapy in cancer cells

TAVARGENIX GmbH / Research/Technology 28.02.2010 16:58 Dissemination of a Media Release, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Newest research demonstrates that the way of energy release in tumour cells 
determines the effectiveness of chemo- and radiation therapy. Normal cells 
generate the major part of their energy by burning food components like 
carbohydrates, protein or fat to CO2 and water within the mitochondria. 
Tumour cells use another pathway to generate their energy; they ferment 
carbohydrates to lactic acid. This change in the way the tumour cell 
generates its energy transforms the tumour cell to an invasive cancer cell. 
These cancer cells spread all over the body by using the lymphatic system 
and blood vessels and finally generate metastases. The enhanced generation 
of lactic acid allows those cancer cells also to invade bone and hard 
tissue (matrix degradation). The change in energy generation also blocks 
the immune system to attack cancer cells and is one major reason for the 
resistance of these cancer cells to chemo- and radiation therapy. Most of 
the cancer patients die because of metastases. Therefore it is most 
important to avoid the invasiveness and the generation of metastases from 
tumour cells. 
Very recent research by the Johns Hopkins University shows that the gene 
Transketolase-like-1 (TKTL1) plays a major role in the change from 
mitochondrial energy production to fermentation of carbohydrates to lactic 
acid. Activation of the TKTL1 gene leads to stabilisation of the 
Hypoxia-inducible-factor-1-alpha (HIF1alpha) which enables the cancer cell 
to ferment carbohydrates to lactic acid. Inhibition of the TKTL1 gene 
inhibits the fermentation of carbohydrates to lactic acid and leads to 
reduced energy production and inhibition of growth of cancer cells and 
tumours. 
 
In another US study it was also shown that inhibition of the fermentative 
phenotype re-sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapeutic treatment. Breast 
cancer cells insensitive to Taxol treatment became sensitive to Taxol 
treatment again by inhibition of the fermentation of carbohydrates to 
lactic acid. 
 
An additional US study showed that inhibition of the generation of lactic 
acid induces oxidative stress in cancer cells and reduces tumour 
progression. 
 
Altogether these results from renowned scientific institutions clearly 
prove that inhibition of fermentation of cancer cells is a promising 
therapy and in addition improves the sensitivity of the cancer cell to 
chemotherapy and radical inducing therapies (radiotherapy). In this context 
it makes very much sense to use tissue or blood tests to check if the 
cancer cell has already changed to a fermentative phenotype with the result 
of resistance to chemo- and radiation therapy. 
 
 
TAVARGENIX GmbH is a Biotech company dedicated to treat cancer by targeting 
the TKTL1 protein. 
 
Literature: 
 
TKTL1 is activated by promoter hypomethylation and contributes to head and 
neck squamous cell carcinoma carcinogenesis through increased aerobic 
glycolysis and HIF1alpha stabilization. 
Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Feb 1;16(3):857-66. 
 
Warburg effect in chemosensitivity: Targeting lactate dehydrogenase-A 
re-sensitizes Taxol-resistant cancer cells to Taxol. 
Mol Cancer. 2010 Feb 9;9(1):33. 
 
Inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase A induces oxidative stress and inhibits 
tumor progression. 
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Feb 2;107(5):2037-42. 
 
 
28.02.2010 16:58 Ad hoc announcement, Financial News and Media Release distributed by DGAP. 
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de 
 
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Language:     English 
Company:      TAVARGENIX GmbH 
              Landwehrstraße 54 
              64293 Darmstadt 
              Deutschland 
Internet:     www.tavergenix.de 
 
End of News                                     DGAP-Media 
 
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February 28, 2010 10:58 ET (15:58 GMT)