Telik Announces Publication Of A Report Of Complete Response Of G-CSF Resistent Severe Idiopathic Chronic Neutropenia Following Treatment With Telintra®

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Telik, Inc. (Nasdaq: TELK) today announced the publication in the Journal of Hematology & Oncology of:   Oral ezatiostat HCl (Telintra®, TLK199) and Idiopathic Chronic Neutropenia (ICN): A case report of complete response of a patient with G-CSF resistant severe chronic idiopathic neutropenia following treatment with Telintra; Roger M. Lyons, MD et al. from the Cancer Care Centers of South Texas; Journal of Hematology & Oncology 2011, 4:43; doi:10.1186/1756-8722-4-43, November 2, 2011.  This publication highlights an important observation that Telintra produced a striking and sustained hematologic response in white blood cell levels in an ICN patient who had an inadequate response to the standard of care, granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF).  The publication may be found at http://www.jhoonline.org/content/4/1/43/abstract.  

This case report describes a patient with severe ICN who experienced frequent episodes of sepsis requiring hospitalizations and prolonged courses of antibiotics for the preceding four years.  She was treated with G-CSF and had delayed, variable, and transient responses. After receiving Telintra therapy, her white blood cell levels stabilized, temperature normalized, and chronic infections resolved. The response to Telintra treatment has been sustained for over eight months at the time of this report and continues. These results may suggest a potential role for Telintra tablets in the treatment of patients who are not responsive to G-CSF injections.   Telintra, a GST P1-1 inhibitor, may achieve this effect by activating Jun kinase (JNK), promoting the growth and maturation of blood progenitor stem cells.    

Background on Severe Idiopathic Chronic Neutropenia

Severe Chronic Idiopathic Neutropenia is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by persistent severe low white blood cell levels, leading to recurrent fevers, chronic mouth inflammation and life-threatening infections. The severity and risk of complications, including serious infections, are inversely proportional to the low white blood cell levels, with the greatest problems occurring in patients with levels of less than 500.  G-CSF has been the standard therapy for increasing white blood cell levels in these patients. A subgroup of patients does not respond to subcutaneous administration of G-CSF and patients receiving chronic G-CSF therapy may experience side effects of bone and muscle pain as well as low platelet level and enlarged spleen, complicating their therapy.

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