The natural chemokine SDF-1 is known to have a role in the blood cell formation in the body, a process known as the hematopoiesis. Our drug candidate CTCE-0214 is a synthetic shortened version (analog) of SDF-1. Preclinical studies demonstrate that Chemokine Therapeutics' drug candidate, CTCE-0214 rapidly mobilizes white blood cells (neutrophils), bleeding prevention cells (platelets) and stem cells (primitive blood forming cells) into the blood. These findings have been confirmed through independent laboratories at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the Walther Cancer Institute in Indianapolis.

These studies suggest CTCE-0214 has the potential to restore a cancer patients' immune system and blood cells between cycles of chemotherapy. In this clinical scenario, patients may be able to receive aggressive chemotherapy without delay by restoring infection-fighting white blood cells and increasing platelet counts to protect patients from bleeding.

The effect of CTCE-0214 on stem cells suggest that there may be a clinical use for CTCE-0214 in stem cell transplantation where there are known limitations with currently approved drugs. Very high doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used to treat certain cancers such as leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myeloma when standard chemotherapy is deemed to be less effective. The treatments destroy the bone marrow, resulting in patients no longer producing the blood cells needed to carry oxygen, fight infection and prevent bleeding. Prior to the procedure a growth factor such as NEUPOGEN® is given by subcutaneous injection over several days after which stem cells are separated and collected from blood by machine. These cells are later returned to the patient via intravenous infusion after high dose chemotherapy. The stem cells migrate to the damaged bone marrow where they restore the immune system and blood cells.