PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Telik, Inc. 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.

Background on Telintra

Telintra is an investigational agent in development for the treatment of a variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic hematologic disorders, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and has demonstrated significant improvement in the induction of growth and differentiation of hematologic precursor stem cells as well as an increase in apoptosis of malignant cells.  Telintra is an inhibitor of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GST P1-1), a negative regulator of JNK.  Treatment of human cells with Telintra leads to the activation of JNK, which promotes the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cell precursors.  Telintra treatment has shown significant improvement in neutrophil levels in several clinical trials in MDS.  More information about Telintra may be found at www.telik.com.  

About Telik, Inc.

Telik, Inc. of Palo Alto, CA, is a clinical stage drug development company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat cancer.  The company's most advanced drug candidate is Telintra®, a modified glutathione analog intended for the treatment of hematologic malignancies including myelodysplastic syndrome; followed by Telcyta®, a cancer activated prodrug for the treatment of a variety of cancers. Telik's product candidates were discovered using its proprietary drug discovery technology, TRAP®, which enables the rapid and efficient discovery of small molecule drug candidates.

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements regarding the future development of Telintra, the safety and effectiveness of Telintra in treating ICN and MDS, whether Telintra treatment results in hematologic improvement in patients with ICN and MDS, and the capability of Telintra to induce apoptosis in malignant cells and treat hematologic disorders in general.  These forward-looking statements are based upon Telik's current expectations and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements.  Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release may be found in Telik's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending June 30, 2011.  Telik does not undertake any obligation to update forward looking statements contained in this press release.

Telik, the Telik logo, TELINTRA, TELCYTA and TRAP are trademarks or registered trademarks of Telik, Inc.

SOURCE Telik, Inc.