UCL (University College London) Liver Failure Group Present Two Studies on a Novel Treatment Option (OCR-002) for Complications of Hyperammonemia in Liver Failure at the 60th Annual AASLD Meeting
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UCL (University College London) Liver Failure Group Present Two Studies on a
Novel Treatment Option (OCR-002) for Complications of Hyperammonemia in Liver
Failure at the 60th Annual AASLD Meeting
BOSTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- UCL Liver Failure Group presented data from two
studies with OCR-002 (L-ornithine phenylacetate) that suggest the potential
for this novel therapeutic agent to impact multiple aspects of liver disease
and its complications. OCR-002 is licensed to Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. of San
Diego, California. The data, presented at the 60th annual meeting of the
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, is comprised of a set of
studies evaluating the potential for OCR-002 treatment to reduce ammonia,
down-regulate inflammation, lower oxidative stress and reduce portal
hypertension in a preclinical model of cirrhosis.
Treatment with OCR-002 resulted in a significant reduction in ammonia,
normalization of brain edema, reduction in inflammatory cytokines, and a
normalization of eNOS activity in both the brain and the liver of cirrhotic
animals. These effects were associated with a significant reduction in portal
pressure. These findings suggest a possible role for OCR-002 and ammonia
reduction in the mitigation of portal hypertensive complications, including
hepatic encephalopathy and variceal bleeding.
"With OCR-002, for the first time, we are able to reduce circulating ammonia
levels in a consistent and controlled way which gives us the ability to treat
complications of liver disease as well as the ability to better understand the
pathophysiology of liver disease and its complications," stated Professor
Rajiv Jalan M.D. at the Institute of Hepatology, UCL. This study exploring the
role of ammonia on portal hypertension and nitric oxide signaling pathway
involved close collaboration with the liver hemodynamics group at UCL led by
Dr. Raj Mookerjee.
"OCR-002 demonstrates significant potential as a new treatment for liver
disease, and addresses an area of significant unmet medical need that is
growing at epidemic rates. We are very pleased to be involved in the
development of OCR-002 in collaboration with our partners at UCL," added Scott
Harris, M.D. Ocera's Chief Medical Officer.
These two studies, presented at AASLD, are titled, "Reduction in
hyperammonemia with L-ornithine phenylacetate (OCR-002) in bile-duct-ligated
(BDL) cirrhotic rats restores brain eNOS activity by modulating the DDAH-ADMA
pathway" and "Treatment of hyperammonemia with L-ornithine phenylacetate
(OCR-002) reduces portal pressure by modulating hepatic NFKB and hepatic eNOS
activity in cirrhotic rats."
About OCR-002
Ocera Therapeutics licensed exclusive, worldwide rights for the development
and commercialization of OCR-002 (L-ornithine phenylacetate) from University
College London Business (UCLB). Ocera Therapeutics is developing OCR-002 as a
novel injectable medication for the treatment of Acute Liver Failure and
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Disease also known as Acute Hepatic Encephalopathy.
About UCL
Founded in 1826, UCL was the first English university established after Oxford
and Cambridge, the first to admit students regardless of race, class, religion
or gender, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture
and medicine. UCL was recently ranked 4th in the 2009 THES-QS World University
Rankings. UCL alumni include Marie Stopes, Jonathan Dimbleby, Lord Woolf,
Alexander Graham Bell, and members of the band Coldplay. UCL currently has
over 12,000 undergraduate and 8,000 postgraduate students. Its annual income
is over £600 million.
About UCL Business PLC
UCL Business PLC (UCLB) is responsible for commercialising research across all
disciplines generated from within UCL and associated organisations. It is
primarily responsible for protecting inventions and transacting commercial
activity including options, licences and collaborative commercial research.
UCLB also has responsibility for creating and spinning-out companies from UCL.
UCLB is wholly-owned by UCL and operates as an independent company with its
own Board of Directors.
About Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.
Ocera Therapeutics, based in San Diego, California, USA, is a privately held
biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of
proprietary compounds to treat acute and chronic liver diseases and a broad
range of gastrointestinal disorders. In addition to OCR-002, Ocera is
developing AST-120 in mild hepatic encephalopathy (Phase 2b), and irritable
bowel syndrome. Ocera has raised $62 million dollars in venture financing
from Domain Associates, Sofinnova Ventures, Thomas, McNerney & Partners,
Montagu Newhall and InterWest Partners. Additional information on the company
can be found at www.oceratherapeutics.com.
UCL Contact: Company Contact:
Dr. Chris Williams, Business Manager, Akiko Shibata, VP Business
UCL Business PLC Operations
+44 20 7679 9000 Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.
c.williams@uclb.com + 1 858-436-3902
ashibata@ocerainc.com
SOURCE Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.
Dr. Chris Williams, Business Manager, UCL Business PLC +44 20 7679 9000
c.williams@uclb.com; or Akiko Shibata, VP Business Operations, Ocera
Therapeutics, Inc., +1-858-436-3902, ashibata@ocerainc.com
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