Hana Biosciences, Inc.
Biotech Specialty Pharma
7000 Shoreline Court, Suite 370
South San Francisco, CA 94080 USA
phone: (650) 588-6404
fax: (650) 588-2787
Symbol HNAB
Exchange NASDAQ
Founded 0
Employees
www.hanabiosciences.com
Research Sector Biotech Specialty Pharma
Summary Description
Biopharmaceutical company involved in cancer care.
Management
Mark J. Ahn, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer; Gregory I. Berk, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer; Gavin S. Choy, PharmD, Vice President, Clinical Operations; John P. Iparraguirre, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Alex Tkachenko, Ph.D., Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategic Planning; Fred L. Vitale, Vice President and Chief Business Officer
Ownership
Financials


* numbers in thousands

 
Keywords
cancer, lingual spray, antifolate, brain cancer

Comment | Printable Version | Mar. 18, 2007
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Description
Hana Biosciences, Inc. is a South San Francisco, CA-based biopharmaceutical company that acquires, develops, and commercializes products to advance cancer care.
Products / Services
In development: PT-523, IPdR, and Ondansetron Lingual Spray (OLS). PT-523 is a novel non-classical antifolate that is a water-soluble, nonpolyglutamatable analogue of aminopterin discovered at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). IPdR is a novel orally administered prodrug for IUdR discovered at Yale University which is being developed as a radiosensitizer in various tumors including brain cancers. Ondansetron Lingual Spray (OLS) is a novel delivery system that utilizes the vast and highly-absorptive surfaces of the oral mucosa to deliver ondansetron directly into the bloodstream and achieve therapeutic levels in a shorter period of time compared to conventional oral dosage forms. Hana Biosciences has rights for all uses and broad patent protection for all three products.
Technology / Differentiation
PT-523 is a novel non-classical antifolate that is a water-soluble, nonpolyglutamatable analogue of aminopterin. PT-523 exhibits 10-fold higher affinity to its target enzyme DHFR (dihydrofolate reductase) than MTX (methotrexate) and utilizes the membrane-bound transporter (RFC) 10-fold more efficiently than MTX. IPdR is a novel oral prodrug of IUdR being developed as a radiation therapy sensitizer for the treatment of brain cancers. IPdR is converted to IUdR by a hepatic aldehyde oxidase. Ondansetron Lingual Spray (OLS) is a novel delivery system that utilizes the vast and highly absorptive surfaces of the oral mucosa to deliver ondansetron directly into the bloodstream, thus achieving therapeutic levels in a shorter period of time than conventional oral dosage forms. Ondansetron is a selective blocking agent of the seratonin 5-HT3 receptor and is widely accepted as the standard of care to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Ondansetron LS may provide a more rapid delivery of ondansetron to prevent nausea and vomiting as compared to current oral forms by avoiding the "first-pass effect" -- since drug delivery via the oral mucosa avoids degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and metabolism by liver enzymes.
Market / Customers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. This year, one in four deaths in the US is expected to be due to cancer and 1.4 million new cases will be diagnosed. For all forms of cancer combined, the 5-year relative survival rate is 64%. Despite the fact that the cancer mortality rate in the U.S. has risen steadily for the past 50 years, scientific advances appear to have begun to turn the tide. 1997 was the first year in the past half century in which fewer Americans died of cancer than the year before - the start of what researchers hope will be a long-term decline in cancer deaths.
Status
Working with NovaDel Pharma (AMEX: NVD) on development of Zensana Ondansetron Oral Spray. The company expects to submit an NDA request in May 2006, and anticipates NDA approval and a U.S. commercial launch by late 2007.


2008-08-27-199