Sonic Hedgehog Reduces Behavioral Impairment in a Primate Model of Parkinson's Disease
Wednesday September 18, 8:30 am ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2002--Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS - News) Promising new findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of Sonic Hedgehog protein (Shh) under development by Curis for Parkinson's Disease and other nervous system disorders. The study showed treatment with Shh in a pre-clinical primate model of Parkinson's Disease reduced behavioral impairments and neural loss.
Parkinson's Disease currently affects about 1,000,000 people with an estimated cost of over 5.6 billion dollars. These findings have significant potential implications. Current therapies address the alleviation of symptoms without limiting the progressive nature of the disease. Curis is currently developing several small molecule compounds that mimic the effects of Shh for several neural indications. These potent compounds show promising pharmacological properties, including the ability to cross the blood brain barrier after oral administration, and thus represent novel candidate therapeutics.
The study, published in the September 18, 2002 volume of Neuroscience by Dr. Peter Jenner of Kings College London, utilized the MPTP model in which dopamine-producing neurons are damaged by administration of a toxin to the brain, resulting in behavioral impairments representative of Parkinson's Disease. Animals treated with Shh showed significant improvement in tests of locomotion and preserved brain tissue that is normally lost with disease progression. Furthermore, after treatment with L-DOPA, animals that had been previously treated with Shh showed significantly better movement than did non-Shh-treated controls.
"These findings further demonstrate and expand the therapeutic potential of Shh for Parkinson's Disease as previously reported in rodent models in Curis' press release of February 25, 2002," said Daniel R. Passeri, President and Chief Executive Officer of Curis. "The results from this study support our intention to bring our small molecule candidates to the next stage of drug development."
On July 18, 2001, Curis announced that it had formed a business venture with Elan Corporation, Plc ("Elan"), that is committed to the research and development of molecules that stimulate the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. The business venture is focused upon the development of therapeutics targeting a number of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease. The data published in the Neuroscience article preceded the establishment of the business venture but played an important role in defining the focus of the collaboration.
About Curis, Inc.
Curis, Inc. is generating therapies that regulate the pathways used by the body to maintain and restore health. The company focuses on signaling pathways that govern the proliferation and differentiation of cells. These same pathways control maintenance, repair, and regeneration of tissues and organs from infancy through old age. This approach has created an approved product for bone regeneration and enables Curis to build a portfolio of product candidates in neurology, kidney disease, and cancer. For more information, please visit the Curis web site at www.curis.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve factors that may cause Curis' actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Specifically, by way of example and without limitation, some of the statements in this release and their achievement are subject to a number of factors including: Curis' ability to enter into a suitable partnership to develop Shh to create therapeutics for central nervous system disorders; Curis' inability to devote sufficient resources to the development of Shh, a member of the Hedgehog family of proteins for this indication; the possibility that a competitor may be able to develop a compound that is more efficacious than Shh, a member of the Hedgehog family of proteins, for this indication; and other risk factors described from time to time in Curis' periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, Curis' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001 filed on March 29, 2002. Curis cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Moreover, neither Curis nor anyone else assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking statements. Curis undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.
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Contact:
Curis, Inc.
Henry W. McCusker, 617/503-6641
or
Noonan Russo Presence
Melissa Wainberg, 212/845-4262 |
