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Biotech / Medical : Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (HGSI) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tuck who wrote (643)	9/6/2001 11:22:54 AM
From: nigel bates	Respond to of 1127

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI - news) today announced that it has received a clinical milestone payment from its partner, GlaxoSmithKline, with respect to the commencement of Phase 1 human clinical trials of a new compound, Lp-PLA2 inhibitor. This compound was discovered by GlaxoSmithKline investigators using Human Genome Sciences' technology. Under the terms of the agreement signed in 1993, Human Genome Sciences is entitled to receive clinical development milestone payments for compounds discovered by GlaxoSmithKline through the use of Human Genome Sciences' technology. Human Genome Sciences expects to receive additional milestone payments if the Lp-PLA2 inhibitor moves through clinical development into registration and launch. If this drug is successful in clinical development and is commercialized, Human Genome Sciences is due royalties. In addition, Human Genome Sciences has an option to co-promote an approved drug in the North American and European markets. William A. Haseltine, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HGS, said, ``We are very pleased that our partner, GlaxoSmithKline has moved forward with human clinical trials of this compound, which was discovered using a target derived through the use of Human Genome Sciences technology. We are proud to have made a contribution to a new therapeutic strategy for the control and treatment of cardiovascular disease.'' About Lp-PLA2 inhibitor An article in The New England Journal of Medicine (2000 October 18, 343(16): 1148-55) entitled ``Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 As An Independent Predictor of Coronary Heart Disease,'' described the proof of concept experiment that led to Lp-PLA2 being identified as a positive risk factor for heart disease. The article details a study of the blood sera of patients enrolled in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study. A number of patients who had had a coronary event were each matched for age and other factors with two control subjects who had not had a coronary event. Three variables were measured at base line, along with other traditional risk factors. The results showed that levels of Lp-PLA2 had a strong, positive association with risk of coronary events, independent of other risk factors. In other words, the risk for coronary artery disease was greater if a patient's Lp-PLA2 was higher. In laboratory models of human coronary disease, GlaxoSmithKline researchers found that inhibition of Lp-PLA2 caused a marked reduction in the progression of atherosclerotic plaque without changing the cholesterol level...