UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 10, 2009
(November 9, 2009)
_______________
BIOCANCELL
THERAPEUTICS INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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333-156252
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20-4630076
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(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
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Commission
File Number
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
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Beck
Science Center, 8 Hartom St, Har Hotzvim, Jerusalem, Israel, 97775
(Address
of principal executive offices and zip code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: 972-2-548-6555
(Former
name or former address, if change since last report)
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
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o
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17CFR
230.425)
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o
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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Item
8.01
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Other
Events.
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On
November 9, 2009, BioCancell Therapeutics, Inc., commenced treatment of the
first patient in its Phase I/IIa trial of the drug BC-819 as a treatment for
pancreatic cancer. The purposes of the trial is to check the safety and initial
efficacy of the treatment, and to establish the optimal dosage for the drug as a
treatment for pancreatic cancer. The trial is expected to include between nine
and twelve patients, who will each receive four treatments, twice per week for
two weeks.
The
NCI-designated Massey Cancer Center of Virginia Commonwealth University, the
University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, and Hadassah, Sheba and Meir
Medical Centers in Israel are expected to participate in the trial.
Treatments in Massey Cancer Center are partially funded by the Binational
Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD), which approved a grant in
the amount of $950,000, or 50% of the predicted expenses of the project for this
collaboration.
In
previous pre-clinical experiments, a group of hamsters suffering from pancreatic
cancer was treated with BC-819, and compared with a control group. The treated
group displayed an average reduction of approximately 50% in the primary tumor
volume, and a significant slowing in tumor progression compared to the control
group. In addition, only one third of the treated group showed metastatic
growths, while all of the animals in the control group developed
metastases.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
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BIOCANCELL
THERAPEUTICS, INC.
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Dated:
November 10, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Avraham Hampel
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Avraham
Hampel
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Company
Secretary
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