PharmaGap fka GAP

[Ed Monton]

PharmaGap Advises That NCI Test Results Are Completed and Expected to Be Provided to the Company Shortly
Last Update: 10/20/2009 11:05:59 AM

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Oct 20, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- PharmaGap Inc. (GAP)(PHRG.F) ("PharmaGap" or "the Company") advises that the results of dose-range testing of the Company's cancer drug GAP-107B8 at the United States National Cancer Institute ("NCI") can be expected "shortly". NCI staff has indicated to the Company that testing has been completed and the results can be expected to be received by the Company after analysis and review of these results by the NCI has been completed.

The Company announced the results from single dose testing at the NCI on August 24, 2009, which showed significant inhibition of cancer cell growth at a low drug concentration across a wide range of human cancer cells. In this initial single dose test, GAP107B8 demonstrated greater than 50% inhibition in cancer cell growth in 26 of 57 cell lines tested, across all 9 cancer types included in the test panel. The full release can be found on the Company's website.

The NCI dose range test repeats the single dose test at 5 different dose concentrations across the same cell lines, in order to provide further insights into the drug's activity at low dose concentrations. With this data, the PharmaGap drug can be compared with the estimated 40,000 drug compounds in the NCI database, using the NCI's COMPARE software programs, enabling NCI and Company researchers to further understand the drug's mechanism of action against defined pathways associated with specific cancer types, in order to better define the target cancer or cancers for which application for clinical trials will be made.

Mr. Robert McInnis, President and C.E.O. of PharmaGap, stated that "while we had expected to have the results of this testing in hand earlier, the NCI has indicated that their analysis of the data is proceeding in normal course and will be released to us when that analysis is completed"

About The National Cancer Institute

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), located in Bethesda, MD is an institute of the National Institutes of Health, the primary U.S. Federal Agency for conducting and supporting medical research. The NCI has a mandate to select and screen novel drug compounds that could potentially make a material difference in the "war against cancer". Selection to the NCI screening program is through a competitive application process. Details on the NCI's compound screening program can be found at http://dtp.nci.nih.gov/ . More general information on the NCI is found at www.cancer.gov .

About PharmaGap Inc.

PharmaGap Inc. (GAP)(PHRG.F), based in Ottawa, ON, is a biotechnology company with a core focus on developing novel peptide therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. PharmaGap's GAP-107B8 is a novel peptide drug designed to inhibit the activity of protein kinase C (PKC), a cell signalling enzyme implicated in certain types and stages of cancer. Independent peer-reviewed research has demonstrated that over-expression of PKC plays a role in the development of many cancer types. For more information please visit www.pharmagap.com .

Note: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No Securities Commission or other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over PharmaGap has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. This release contains forward looking statements that may not occur or may change materially.

Contacts:
PharmaGap Inc.
Robert McInnis
President & CEO
613-990-9551
[e-mail]

SOURCE: PharmaGap Inc.

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