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Dr. Hausman of Oxis, Clarifies Company Role in Developing Biomarkers
12/20/2006
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OXIS International (OTCBB: OXIS - News; Nouveau Marche: OXIS) (FWB: OXI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing research assays, nutraceutical and therapeutic products related to oxidative stress and, through its majority interest in BioCheck, a leading provider of high quality immunoassay clinical kits and contract services, today released a statement by its President and CEO Marvin S. Hausman MD about the future direction of the Company. Dr. Hausman's statements were in response to questions from investors about Oxis International's involvement in the rapidly growing field of developing and introducing early predictive biomarkers in clinical applications as reported in a Wall Street Journal article on December 15, 2006, entitled "The Rush to Biomarker Tests."
Dr. Hausman stated, "Our corporate focus is to create biomarkers to detect diseases at their earliest stages thereby allowing physicians and other medical practitioners to intervene early and employ the best therapeutic agents for that particular disease. We believe that the ability to predict the early onset of disease will potentially open the door to earlier treatment with less toxic agents, perhaps even the use of potent naturally occurring antioxidants. Moreover, these early screening approaches may lead to a dramatic change in the outcome of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease."
The Forbes.com December 8, 2006 newsletter states "Pfizer's (Symbol: PFE) Warning Signs; Years before its heart drug failed in massive human trials, there were indications such drugs might be dangerous." Dr. Hausman commented, "Perhaps a screening test for levels of oxidized HDL, targeting patients and their disease, may have allowed Pfizer to develop specific responsive subsets of patients with atherosclerotic disease who would have better outcomes with the drug Torcetrapib."
Dr. Hausman added, "Oxis International and its majority owned subsidiary BioCheck have developed biomarker-based tests to detect proteins and other substances in the blood that can predict and/or detect disease at a very early stage. For example, an Oxis antibody was used in a Cleveland Clinic study published in October 23, 2003 in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled 'Prognostic Value of Myeloperoxidase in Patients with Chest Pain.' And more recently, Cancer Research, November 15, 2006, featured an antibody developed by BioCheck, in an article entitled 'Reassessment of ID1 Protein Expression in Human Mammary, Prostate, and Bladder Cancers Using a Monospecific Rabbit Monoclonal Anti-ID1 Antibody'."
"Our biomarkers have the potential to become standards of practice in predicting certain myocardial events as well as the diagnosis of cancer," said Dr. Hausman. "We will continue to add these types of products to our product line of over 80 biomarker assays and/or kits, many of which could be used to detect diseases at their earliest stages in an attempt to significantly improve patient outcomes."
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