CRIS, 50% or so -
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--CURIS, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRIS - News) - The current online issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that CURIS scientists have identified a novel small molecule drug candidate, CUR-61414, for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a skin cancer and the most common form of all human cancers with approximately one million new cases every year in the United States. The report further states that CUR-61414 prevents the proliferation and selectively induces the death of the tumor cells, while not harming adjacent normal skin cells in two different models of BCC.
Several years ago, it was discovered that almost all forms of BCC result from mutations in a signaling pathway controlled by a protein called Hedgehog (Hh). These mutations cause the unregulated activation of the Hh signaling pathway directly resulting in the development of BCC.
"It was our understanding of the Hh pathway that enabled CURIS to develop several classes of Hh pathway inhibitors, including CUR-61414," stated Dr. Lee Rubin, CURIS' Chief Scientific Officer. "Moreover, there is now evidence that the Hh pathway is also involved in other cancers, including medulloblastoma and small cell lung cancer. Our Hh inhibitors may have therapeutic applications for those cancers as well. In addition, the specific targeting nature of the Hh pathway inhibitors may result in fewer side effects than more traditional cancer therapies, which indiscriminately kill both tumor cells and normal cells"
"CURIS is very proud of the accomplishment of its scientists in discovering and developing these small molecule Hh inhibitors," said Daniel Passeri, CURIS' President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are very optimistic about the prospect of using CUR-61414 for the treatment of BCC specifically, and we are equally excited about the prospect of using Hh inhibition as a novel targeted means of treating other forms of cancer." |
