Geron Announces Publication of Improved Methods for Manufacturing of Its Anti-Cancer Drug, GRN163L; New Chemistry Significantly Reduces the Cost of Proprietary Building Blocks
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(Business Wire)--July 13, 2006--
Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) today announced the publication of novel chemical methods that reduce the number of chemical steps and cost of synthesizing the monomer building blocks of its patented N3'-P5' thiophosphoramidate oligonucleotide compounds, including its lead anti-cancer drug, GRN163L.
Presented in a paper published in the June 26 issue of Tetrahedron Letters, the new approach utilizes starting materials that contain a nitrogen in the key (3') position, reducing the number of steps to achieve the final "activated 3'-amino" monomer building blocks from seven-ten to two-three. This increases the yield of the overall reaction and significantly reduces the cost of the building blocks as well as the cost of the final oligonucleotide products.
"Our lead anti-cancer drug, GRN163L, which is in clinical trials for hematologic and solid tumor malignancies, is now being manufactured using the new chemistry monomers," said Melissa A. Kelly Behrs, Geron's Vice President of Oncology. "The chemistry has significantly reduced the cost of the building blocks and is an important advance in our ongoing manufacturing improvements for GRN163L. In addition, we have a patent application filed on the method. This further strengthens the intellectual property protection for GRN163L and any other drug, diagnostic or research product we or our licensees make using our oligonucleotide platform."
The paper was authored by Geron scientists led by Sergei Gryaznov, Ph.D., Geron's Director of Nucleic Acid Chemistry and co-inventor of the original monomer chemistry on which the novel oligonucleotide manufacturing was based.
Geron is a Menlo Park, Calif.-based biopharmaceutical company that is developing and intends to commercialize first-in-class therapeutic products for the treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases, including spinal cord injury, heart failure, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. The products are based on Geron's core expertise in telomerase and human embryonic stem cells. For more information, visit www.geron.com.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements in this press release regarding potential applications of Geron's telomerase technology constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, uncertainty of clinical trial results or regulatory approvals or clearances, need for future capital, dependence upon collaborators and maintenance of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Geron's periodic reports, including the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006.
Citation: Daria Zielinska, Krisztina Pongracz, and Sergei Gryaznov. "A new approach to oligonucleotide N3-'P5' phosphoramidate building blocks." Tetrahedron Letters. 2006, 47: 4495-4499.
Geron Corporation David L. Greenwood, 650-473-7765 info@geron.com
or Noonan Russo David Schull, 858-546-4810 (Media) david.schull@eurorscg.com Sharon Weinstein, 212-845-4271 (Investors) sharon.weinstein@eurorscg.com |
