BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - December 3, 2004 -
Genta Incorporated (NASDAQ: GNTA) today announced that it has
acquired world-wide rights from Temple University to intellectual
property and technology, and a novel antisense compound (LR3001)
that targets c-myb, a central gene that regulates the growth of
cancer cells. LR3001 was developed at Temple and has been
tested in two Phase 1 clinical trials at the University of
Pennsylvania in patients with drug-resistant myeloid
leukemia. To date, clinical investigations have been
supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health,
including the Rapid Access to Investigational Drugs (RAID)
program. A request for designation of LR3001 as an
Orphan Drug for the treatment of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML)
has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"C-myb was one of the first oncogenes to be characterized, and
it is believed to play a central role in the growth and
differentiation of cancer cells," said Dr. Raymond P. Warrell, Jr.,
Genta's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Target
selection is probably the most critical factor for the success of
antisense in specific diseases. The role of c-myb in
regulation of early stem cells is well established, and its
targeting represents an important new opportunity for our RNA/DNA
Medicines Program."
"I have known the oncology team at Genta for many years, and I
believe they are ideally positioned to accelerate the development
of this compound," said Dr. Alan M. Gewirtz, Professor of Medicine
at the University of Pennsylvania. "I very much look forward
to collaborating with Genta on this important clinical
project." Dr. Gewirtz is a scientific leader in applications
of oligonucleotides to understanding the regulation of cancer
genes. His scientific work led to the development of LR3001,
and he was instrumental in getting the drug into early clinical
trials.
Information about c-myb and LR3001
C-myb is a protein that binds DNA and acts as a transcription
factor to regulate the function of a number of genes that are
involved in the growth and differentiation of primitive
cells. Genes that are up-regulated by c-myb include Bcl-2,
Bcl-X
L
, c-myc, cyclin A1, cyclin D1, cdc2, and COX2.
Over-expression of c-myb blocks differentiation, promotes
proliferation, and decreases apoptosis. C-myb is expressed in
early blood cells, and in neoplastic diseases that include cancers
of the breast, pancreas and colon, malignant melanoma, and
neuroblastoma.
A general review of c-myb biology and targeting can be obtained
at:
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/onc/journal/v18/n19/abs/1202785a.html&dynoptions=doi1100714850
, and more broadly in the Proceedings from the Second International
Workshop on Myb Proteins, published in
Blood Cells, Molecules and Diseases
27:407-488, 2001. The initial clinical
report regarding ex-vivo use of LR3001 during bone marrow
transplantation can be retrieved at:
http://www.bloodjournal.org/cgi/content/full/99/4/1150
.
About Genta
Genta Incorporated is a pharmaceutical company with a
diversified product portfolio that is focused on delivering
innovative products for the treatment of patients with cancer. The
Company's research platform is anchored by two major programs that
center on oligonucleotides (RNA and DNA-based medicines) and small
molecules. Genasense
®
(oblimersen sodium) Injection, the Company's lead compound from its
oligonucleotide program, is currently undergoing late-stage, Phase
3 clinical testing. The leading drug in Genta's small
molecule program is Ganite
®
(gallium nitrate injection), which the Company is exclusively
marketing in the U.S. for treatment of patients with cancer-related
hypercalcemia that is resistant to hydration. For more
information about Genta, please visit our website at:
www.genta.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements with
respect to business conducted by Genta Incorporated. By their
nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks
and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on
circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number
of factors that could cause actual results and developments to
differ materially. For a discussion of those risks and
uncertainties, please see the Company's Annual
Report/Form 10-K
for 2003.
SOURCE: Genta Incorporated
