Geron and RPI Form Collaboration in Telomerase Inhibition
BOULDER, Colo., Dec 6, 2001 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals
Inc. (RPI) (Nasdaq: RZYM) and Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) today announced a
collaboration that will utilize the expertise of each company to accelerate
process development for Geron's lead telomerase inhibitor, GRN163.
Research has shown that telomeres serve as a molecular "clock" for cellular
aging, and the activation of telomerase by cancer cells is a means by which
cancer cells become immortal. Inhibiting telomerase represents a novel mechanism
for the treatment of cancer with potentially broader utility and greater
selectivity against cancer cells than currently available cancer agents.
RPI will utilize its expertise in nucleic acid technology to provide process
development for Geron's GRN163. RPI will assist Geron in the scale-up and
optimization of the manufacturing process. GRN163 is a short, modified
oligonucleotide designed as a telomerase template antagonist. Kyowa Hakko Kogyo,
Co., Ltd. is a collaborating partner for this compound and has marketing rights
for certain Asian countries; Geron has retained marketing rights for the
compound outside of Asia.
In addition, the two companies will collaborate to explore the potential for a
ribozyme-based telomerase inhibitor, which Geron will have the first right to
commercialize. In a Cancer Research publication earlier this year (April 1,
2001) entitled "Ribozyme Cleavage of Telomerase mRNA Sensitizes Breast
Epithelial Cells to Inhibitors of Topoisomerase" scientists Antje Ludwig and
Calvin Harley, Geron's Chief Scientific Officer, et al. describe the validation
of apoptosis activity and shortened telomeres utilizing a hammerhead ribozyme.
"The data validate a ribozyme approach for telomerase inhibition therapy in
cancer and suggest that it might be combined advantageously with
topisomerase-directed chemotherapy," writes Ludwig.
"We are pleased to have formed a collaboration with Geron utilizing our team of
expert nucleic acid chemists to research a telomerase inhibiting ribozyme and to
develop process technology for manufacturing Geron's telomerase inhibitors,"
said Nassim Usman, Vice President of Research & Development at RPI. "We believe
Geron's work in this area to be of great importance to cancer patients and look
forward to working with them to develop this novel technology."
"We anticipate that the alliance with RPI will be a significant step for Geron
in the development of manufacturing process technology related to GRN163," said
Richard L. Tolman, Geron's vice president of drug discovery. "We also look
forward to exploring with RPI the potential for developing a ribozyme-based
approach to telomerase inhibition." |
