Sirna Therapeutics Launches Dermatology Division Targeting Permanent Hair Removal With siRNAs
Wednesday December 8, 7:30 am ET
BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sirna Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNAI - News) announced today the first program to apply RNA interference (RNAi) technology to dermatology, with an initial focus on hair removal, an estimated $4 billion market in the United States. Sirna Dermatology has targeted a critical gene essential for hair growth and has demonstrated that reduction of this gene's expression by a topically administered chemically modified siRNA permanently disrupts hair follicle integrity in an animal model. The company anticipates initiating human trials in 2006. Sirna, in the formation of its dermatology division, has acquired Skinetics Biosciences, Inc., a company formed around the research of Dr. Angela M. Christiano, Associate Professor, Departments of Dermatology and Genetics and Development, Columbia University.
Howard W. Robin, President and CEO of Sirna Therapeutics, commented, "Dermatology represents an evolution in the application of RNAi technology, addressing a broad consumer market that rewards innovation. Such innovation can clearly be seen in our first dermatology program which will focus on the permanent removal of unwanted hair. Laser treatment has become the dominant modality in hair removal. We believe siRNAs will offer significant advantages over laser treatment by providing permanent hair removal through a physician-administered topical cream."
Mr. Robin continued, "Our entry into dermatology complements Sirna's portfolio of therapeutic programs including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), chronic Hepatitis C, oncology, and Huntington's Disease, providing an exciting growth opportunity balanced between medical and consumer markets."
The hair removal market (excluding shaving) represented an estimated $8.3 billion global market in 2001, with $3.8 billion in the United States. The world market is expected to grow to an estimated $11.1 billion by 2005, with commensurate increases in the U.S.
Sirna's proprietary siRNA formulations are designed to be applied topically to patients in a series of physician-administered treatments. Sirna and Skinetics Biosciences have worked together to conduct preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies showing that these siRNAs reach the cells at the base of the hair follicle, where they inhibit the production of proteins necessary for hair growth, resulting in permanent hair removal.
Acquisition of Skinetics Biosciences, Inc.
Under the terms of its agreements with Skinetics Biosciences, and its founders and consultants, which include David E. Shaw, Dr. Christiano, Dr. Joseph M. Carroll, and Dr. Colin Jahoda, Sirna is acquiring intellectualproperty and research data related to the development of siRNAs for permanent hair removal. Upon signing the deal, Sirna granted initial common stock shares to Skinetics Biosciences' shareholders and consultants; additional shares will be granted upon the achievement of certain milestones with royalties to be paid upon commercialization.
Dr. Angela M. Christiano, Co-founder of Skinetics, Inc., and Associate Professor, Departments of Dermatology and Genetics and Development, Columbia University will become an exclusive consultant for Sirna Dermatology in the area of RNAi. Dr. Christiano commented, "I am extremely excited to be collaborating with Sirna Therapeutics, the leading company in RNAi drug development. Skinetics' research in the areas of hair removal and hair growth will hopefully result in important advances for the dermatologist and their patients."
In addition, Dr. Joseph M. Carroll, formerly Senior Scientist, Genomic Pharmacology at Millennium Pharmaceuticals and a co-founder of Skinetics, will join Sirna Dermatology. Dr. Colin Jahoda from the University of Durham, UK, of Skinetics will serve as a consultant to Sirna Dermatology.
Scientific Advisory Board
Sirna also announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board for its dermatology division. The members of the new SAB are leading figures in dermatology research and clinical applications:
-- Paul A. Khavari, M.D., Ph.D. is the Carl J. Herzog Professor in the
Department of Dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Khavari is nationally recognized as a leading epidermal biologist,
whose research encompasses the regulatory mechanisms of genes in
epithelial cells. He has served since 1993 as chief of dermatology at
the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. Dr. Khavari
received his M.D. degree from Yale University in 1988 and his Ph.D.
degree from Stanford in 1993.
-- James G. Krueger, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor in the Laboratory for
Investigative Dermatology at Rockefeller University. Dr. Krueger is
internationally renowned for his basic and clinical research in
psoriasis. Dr. Krueger received his Ph.D. degree from Rockefeller
University in 1984 and his M.D. degree from Cornell University Medical
College.
-- Thomas S. Kupper, M.D. is the Thomas B. Fitzpatrick Professor of
Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Harvard Skin
Disease Research Center, Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at
Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Director of the Center for Cutaneous
Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Kupper's research
spans many areas relevant to innate and adaptive immunity and cancer
biology. Much of his recent work has focused on T cell-mediated
diseases. Dr. Kupper received his M.D. degree from Yale University
School of Medicine in 1981.
-- Elise A. Olsen, M.D. is Professor of Medicine/Dermatology at Duke
University Medical Center and the Duke Clinical Research Institute and
Founder and Director of the Duke Dermatopharmacology Study Center and
the Duke Hair Disorders Treatment and Research Center. Dr. Olsen is a
founding member and immediate past President of the North American
Hair Research Society (NAHRS) and Editor of the 1st and 2nd editions
of the internationally recognized textbook, Hair Disorders: Diagnosis
and Treatment. Two of Dr. Olsen's primary areas of research are hair
disorders in women, especially female pattern hair loss, and the
development of appropriate methodology for clinical trials for the
various types of hair disorders.
-- Fiona M. Watt, Ph.D., is head of the Keratinocyte Laboratory, Cancer
Research UK, London Research Institute. Dr. Watt's areas of focus
include the properties of epidermal stem cells and the role of
integrins in regulating keratinocyte growth and terminal
differentiation. Dr. Watt received her D.Phil. degree from the
University of Oxford.
Conference Call Information
Sirna will host a conference call today, December 8, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. To access the live call, U.S. participants may dial 1-877-502-9274 and international participants may dial 1-913-981-5584. An audio replay will be available beginning approximately three hours after the call through December 9, 2004. To access this replay, U.S. participants may dial 1-888-203-1112 and international participants may dial 1-719-457-0820. Please reference access code 557369 for the live and recorded conference call.
This conference call will also be webcast live and archived on Sirna's website at sirna.com for 30 days. Please log onto Sirna's website several minutes prior to the start of the live webcast to ensure adequate time for any software downloads that may be necessary.... |
