Rigel to Host Hepatitis C Investor Briefing on November 19, 2003
Thursday November 6, 7:32 am ET
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL - News) today announced that it will be hosting an investor briefing entitled, "Hepatitis C: Treatment Progress and Opportunities," on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time at the W Hotel at 541 Lexington Avenue in New York City.
Two clinicians who have extensive research and clinical experience with hepatitis C patients will present current treatments and new potential therapeutic approaches for treating the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Dr. Jules Dienstag, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Academic & Clinical Programs at Harvard Medical School, will discuss the virus, current prognosis for those infected and therapies now employed to treat this difficult and often deadly disease. Dr. Charles Rice, the Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Professor and Head of the Virology and Infectious Disease Laboratory at The Rockefeller University, will explain the research directions that are needed to fully understand and treat HCV and will present several promising paths for improved therapeutics.
Dr. Donald G. Payan, Rigel's Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President, will provide an overview of Rigel's efforts to develop potential small molecule drugs to treat HCV.
About Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. As the most common blood-borne infection in the United States, HCV affects 4 million Americans and 170 million individuals worldwide. Approximately 85% of those with acute illness will go on to develop chronic hepatitis, and this condition has been linked to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and liver failure. HCV accounts for 30% of end-stage liver disease and liver cancer and is the leading cause of liver failure, resulting in the need for liver transplantation.
Treatment Opportunity
Rigel believes its lead HCV small-molecule oral drug candidate, R803, rapidly, selectively and potently targets HCV by interfering with the viral polymerase, a protein needed by the virus for its replication, as shown in preclinical studies. This mechanism is substantially different from that of interferon alpha, which primarily works indirectly to boost the immune system and can only be delivered by means of an injection. Rigel expects to initiate clinical trials of R803 in the fourth quarter of 2003.
Schedule of Events and Webcast Information
For those who are unable to attend the conference, there will be a live audio webcast of the speakers' presentations and slides which can be accessed by going to www.rigel.com and clicking on the link from the homepage. A replay will be available at the same site for 30 days.
10:00 to 12:30 PM - PRESENTATIONS
INTRODUCTION
James M. Gower. Mr. Gower is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mr. Gower has over 25 years of biotechnology experience as a senior executive at various companies, including Genentech and Tularik. Mr. Gower also serves on the board of directors of Cell Genesys, Inc.
HEPATITIS C VIRUS OVERVIEW: THE DISEASE, COST AND PROBLEMS WITH TREATMENTS
Jules L. Dienstag, M.D. Dr. Dienstag is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and serves as a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also the Executive Director of the Liver Biliary Pancreas Center. Dr. Dienstag is recognized worldwide as a leader in pre clinical and clinical hepatitis research and has been one of the principle investigators for several clinical studies evaluating new antiviral drugs for hepatitis B and C.
HEPATITIS C VIRUS: TARGETS AND POSSIBLE THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
Charles M. Rice, Ph.D. Dr. Rice is the Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Chair in Virology and serves as Head of the Laboratory for Virology and Infectious Disease at The Rockefeller University. He is one of the world's most accomplished virologists and a prominent figure in research on HCV. Dr. Rice also serves as Scientific and Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, a tri-institutional endeavor of The Rockefeller University, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
RIGEL'S PROGRAM IN HEPATITIS C
Donald G. Payan, M.D. Dr. Payan is Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He is one of Rigel's co-founders and a member of its board of directors. Dr. Payan has held senior level positions at numerous biotechnology companies, including AxyS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Khepri Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
About Rigel (www.rigel.com)
Rigel's mission is to become a source of novel, small-molecule drugs to meet large, unmet medical needs. Rigel has identified three lead product development programs: mast cell inhibition to treat immunologic diseases such as asthma/allergy and autoimmune disorders, antiviral agents to treat hepatitis C, and ligases, a new class of cancer drug targets. Rigel has begun clinical testing of its first product candidate, R112, for allergic rhinitis, and plans to begin clinical trials of three additional drug candidates for the treatment of hepatitis C, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma, by the end of 2004. |
