BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ, December 4, 2000
- Genta Incorporated (Nasdaq:
GNTA
) announced that investigators have shown significant activity of
Bcl-2 antisense against multiple myeloma cells. Bcl-2 is the target
of Genasense?, Gentas lead antisense compound. The data are to be
reported today at the annual meeting of the American Society of
Hematology in San Francisco.
Investigators from the University Medical Center in Utrecht,
Netherlands, used myeloma cell lines and myeloma cells taken
directly from patients. Their results showed a time- and
dose-dependent uptake of Bcl-2 antisense into myeloma cells.
Following uptake, levels of Bcl-2 mRNA and protein were
consistently reduced after approximately 48 hours. Lastly, myeloma
cells were also tested with a standard chemotherapy drug
(doxorubicin), alone or in combination with Bcl-2 antisense. The
antisense treated cells showed significantly higher levels of cell
death relative to controls.
Dr. Raymond P. Warrell, Jr., Gentas President and Chief
Executive Officer commented: "We regard this preclinical study as
extremely important and encouraging. Myeloma is a slowly growing
tumor of B-lymphocytes, and Genasense? has been shown to have
significant activity against these types of cancer in other
studies. These new data extend previous findings of activity and
synergy in lymphoid diseases, and they clearly point to myeloma as
an important target for GenasenseTM therapy in the clinic."
