Millennium Introduces New Oncology Molecule with Activity in Broad Range of Cancer Models
Sunday June 3, 5:46 pm ET
CHICAGO, June 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MLNM - News) today presented results of research on a new oncology molecule, MLN4924, a first-in-class, small molecule inhibitor of the Nedd 8 Activating Enzyme (NAE). NAE is a novel Millennium-discovered target in the protein homeostasis pathway. NAE acts upstream of the proteasome, the target of VELCADE® (bortezomib) for Injection, the Company's market-leading therapy for patients with previously treated multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. The data on NAE were presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.
"Millennium is a leader in protein homeostasis research, and our discoveries of NAE and MLN4924 demonstrate our strength and innovation in this unique area," said Joe Bolen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Millennium. "Building on the clinical and commercial success of VELCADE, we believe that MLN4924 has the potential to deliver enhanced efficacy with an improved safety profile in a broad range of solid and hematological tumors. The preclinical work conducted to date has shown that MLN4924 has substantial and durable anti-tumor activity."
Data presented by Mark Rolfe, Ph.D., Vice President, Millennium Oncology Discovery, showed:
-- NAE is a novel target in the protein homeostasis pathway that specifically controls a subset of proteins which regulates survival of cancer cells
-- NAE has been validated as an oncology target in hematological and solid tumors
- Molecular pathology studies have shown elevated NAE expression in primary human tumors including colon, lung and ovarian as well as colon metastasis to the liver
- Conversely, NAE expression is low in normal human tissues
-- MLN4924 has shown substantial activity in a broad range of preclinical solid and hematological tumor models
The Company is currently conducting investigational new drug (IND) enabling work for MLN4924 and expects to enter human clinical trials with the molecule in advanced cancer patients in 2008. |
