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Biotech / Medical : Agouron Pharmaceuticals (AGPH) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Steve Fancy who wrote (4216)	5/5/1998 10:25:00 AM
From: Oliver & Co	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 6136

Agouron Initiates Pivotal Trials of Oral Anti-Angiogenesis Drug AG3340 for Treatment of Lung Cancer and Prostate Cancer May 5, 1998 09:02 AM LA JOLLA, Calif., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. AGPH today announced initiation of phase II/III clinical trials, in patients with advanced lung or prostate cancer, to evaluate an experimental anticancer agent known as AG3340, a matrix metalloprotease inhibitor with potent anti-angiogenesis activity. In rodents, AG3340 potently inhibits angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels which feed growing tumors), tumor growth and metastasis and also enhances the anti-tumor activity of certain conventional chemotherapy agents. Phase I clinical studies have shown AG3340 to be well tolerated at the doses to be administered in the pivotal trials which have an initial phase II dose-evaluation period. In a randomized trial to be carried out in sites throughout North America, AG3340 will be administered in tablet form to patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with Taxol(R) (paclitaxel) and Paraplatin(R) (carboplatin). The primary objective of this study is to compare time to progression between patients receiving AG3340 or placebo in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin. In a second randomized trial, patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer will receive AG3340 in tablet form in combination with Novantrone(R) (mitoxantrone) and prednisone. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate time-to-symptomatic progression of disease. Secondary endpoints in both trials include response rates, survival, and quality of life measurements. AG3340 is an orally active, synthetic molecule designed to inhibit the growth, invasion and metastasis of solid tumors by inactivating certain members of a family of enzymes known as matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). AG3340 selectively inhibits those MMPs believed to be involved in tumor progression. A primary goal of the clinical studies of AG3340 is to determine whether this distinctive selectivity results in a favorable clinical profile of safety and efficacy. Agouron is also conducting preclinical evaluation of second generation MMP inhibitors with selectivity profiles distinct from that of AG3340. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in much of the world. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be approximately 171,500 (91,400 among men and 80,100 among women) new cases of lung cancer in 1998 in the U.S. Lung cancer will account for about 14% of all new cancer diagnoses, and about 29% of all cancer-related deaths. The National Cancer Institute of Canada in 1997 estimated 20,300 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in Canada; approximately 16,900 people died of the disease. Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in men in North America and Europe. The American Cancer Society estimates 184,000 new cases will occur in 1998 in the United States and 39,200 men will die from the disease. In Canada, approximately 19,800 new cases of prostate cancer were estimated in 1997. Of these, 4,100 men were estimated to have died of the disease. For information on AG3340 clinical trials in lung and prostate cancer dial toll-free 1-888-9-CANCER. Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an integrated pharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of small-molecule drugs engineered to inactivate proteins that play key roles in cancer, AIDS, and other serious diseases. This press release may contain forward-looking statements or predictions. These statements represent our judgment as of this date and are subject to risks and uncertainties, that could cause the actual results to differ materially. Important factors concerning these risks are discussed in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997 currently on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For further information about Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or about MMP inhibitors, see Agouron's website agouron.com. Taxol(R) and Paraplatin(R) are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology/Immunology. Novantrone(R) is a registered trademark of the Immunex Corporation. SOURCE Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.