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CONTACTS:
LORUS THERAPEUTICS INC. CANADIAN MEDIA CONTACT: US MEDIA CONTACT
Corporate Communications Eliza Walsh Jennifer Taylor
Grace Tse Mansfield Communications Inc. Mansfield Communications Inc.
Tel: (416) 798-1200 ext. 380 Tel: (416) 599-0024 Tel: (212) 370-5045
Email: ir@lorusthera.com Email: eliza@mcipr.com Email: jennifer@mcipr.com
LORUS THERAPEUTICS SUPPORTS PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
-Update of Virulizin(R) compassionate use program announced-
TSX: LOR
OTC BB: LORFF
TORONTO, CANADA, NOVEMBER 7, 2003 - Lorus Therapeutics Inc. ("Lorus") announced
today the further global expansion of the compassionate use program for
Virulizin(R), its lead Phase III clinical drug for advanced pancreatic cancer.
The program has grown to include a total of 10 countries, with over 60 patients
having received Virulizin(R)for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer in the
past year. Countries that have granted regulatory authorization for use of
Virulizin(R) as a compassionate drug now include the US, Canada, Japan,
Australia, Italy, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Korea, and Taiwan.
"We are pleased to be able to support pancreatic cancer patients and health-care
providers worldwide in their efforts to seek newer, less toxic treatments. The
requests we receive through our program from patients and physicians in
countries around the globe attests to the dire need for new treatments," said
Dr. Jim Wright, CEO of Lorus. "We see a large demand for supply of this drug,
and our staff are committed to making as much supply as possible available to
compassionate use patients."
Since re-launching the compassionate use program in 2002, Lorus has provided
Virulizin(R) to patients primarily following failure of mainstay therapy, or in
the first-line setting where less toxic therapeutic alternatives were required.
Compassionate use data is being collected by Lorus and will be included as part
of the safety and use database for regulatory dossier filings. Compassionate use
programs are available in many countries to enable patients, following health
authority authorization, to receive investigational drugs or foreign-approved
drugs for the treatment of serious illnesses where no suitable alternative
treatment exists.
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In addition, the company also announced as part of its commitment to Pancreatic
Cancer Awareness Month, its participation in the Weekend of Hope: Pancreatic
Cancer Symposium being held on November 7-9, 2003 in California. This
patient-based symposium is presented by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
(PanCAN), a national non-profit, patient advocacy organization that serves the
pancreatic cancer community.
"PanCAN is an important patient-oriented organization dedicated to helping
pancreatic cancer patients," added Dr. Wright. "We support its initiatives to
educate people about pancreatic cancer, as we evaluate Virulizin(R), in a Phase
III clinical trial for advanced pancreatic cancer at over 100 oncology centres
worldwide."
About Virulizin(R)
Virulizin(R) is currently in a global Phase III clinical trial for advanced
pancreatic cancer at major oncology centers in the US, Canada, Eastern and
Central Europe, and Latin America. The Phase III clinical study examines the use
of Virulizin(R) in the first-line treatment setting, in combination with
gemcitabine, the current chemotherapeutic standard of care for advanced
pancreatic cancer. Virulizin(R) is an immunotherapeutic drug that has been shown
to be well-tolerated in clinical trials. The drug has also demonstrated a broad
range of anti-tumor efficacy in pre-clinical testing. Virulizin(R) is currently
marketed in Mexico for malignant melanoma under a distribution agreement with
Mayne Pharma.
About Lorus
Lorus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of
cancer therapies. Lorus' goal is to capitalize on its research, pre-clinical,
clinical and regulatory expertise by developing new drug candidates that can be
used, either alone, or in combination, to successfully manage cancer. Through
its own discovery efforts and an active acquisition and in-licensing program,
Lorus is building a portfolio of promising anti-cancer drugs. Late-stage
clinical developments and marketing will be done in cooperation with strategic
pharmaceutical partners. Founded in 1986, Lorus Therapeutics Inc. is a public
company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LOR, and on the
OTC BB exchange under the symbol LORFF.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for historical information, this press release contains forward-looking
statements, which reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and
are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to,
changing market conditions, the Company's ability to obtain patent protection
and protect its intellectual property rights, commercialization limitations
imposed by intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties,
intellectual property liability rights and liability claims asserted against the
Company, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the
establishment of corporate alliances, the impact of competitive products and
pricing, new product development, uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process, product development delays, the Company's ability to attract
and retain business partners and key personnel, future levels of government
funding, the Company's ability to obtain the capital required for research,
operations and marketing and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the
Company's ongoing quarterly filings, annual information form, annual reports and
20-F filings. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
Lorus Therapeutics Inc.'s press releases are available through the Company's
Internet site: http://www.lorusthera.com.
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