CarboMed Inc., a privately held company located in Brentwood,Tenn., has started Phase I/II clinical studies of its leadcompound, CM101, as a cancer treatment.

CM101 is a polysaccharide derived from group B streptococcus,a neonatal pathogen that has shown anti-angiogenic propertiesin animal models. The polysaccharide appears to work throughreceptors present only in developing vasculature, according toCarboMed founder Carl Hellerqvist. It seeks out the tumor'sdeveloping blood vessels, then binds and induces aninflammatory response which destroys the blood vessels, hesaid.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.