MARLBOROUGH, Mass.,
March 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RXi
Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII), a clinical-stage RNAi
company developing innovative therapeutics that address significant
unmet medical needs, today announced that it was granted a patent
from the Japan Patent Office (JPO) for the composition of matter of
sd-rxRNAs targeting connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) for the
treatment or prevention of fibrotic disorders, including but not
limited to skin fibrosis and proliferative retinopathy (Japanese
Patent #: 6060071). This patent includes the Company's lead
clinical candidate RXI-109, an sd-rxRNA therapeutic compound, which
is currently being evaluated in Phase 2 clinical trials. The
patent, once issued, will be set to expire in 2031.
"From our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials, we have reported
preliminary results indicating that the use of RXI-109 after scar
revision surgery had a visible, beneficial effect on the
suppression of hypertrophic scarring, at three months following
revision surgery. We have also shown RXI-109 to be safe and
well-tolerated in the eye in our ongoing ocular trial. This patent
increases our ability to protect our novel CTGF-targeting compounds
which are based on our proprietary self-delivering RNAi platform,"
said Pamela Pavco, PhD, Chief
Development Officer of RXi Pharmaceuticals. She added that, "The
granting of this patent in Japan
further strengthens RXi's intellectual property estate for future
commercial and regional business development opportunities for
RXI-109."
About RXi's Proprietary Self-delivering RNAi (sd-rxRNA)
Technology Platform
RXi's proprietary sd-rxRNA technology has many advantages over
its competitors in the RNAi space. Scientists at RXi have
designed chemically-modified RNAi compounds with improved drug-like
properties that are potent, stable and specific. These
proprietary compounds have built-in delivery properties and
therefore do not require a delivery vehicle for local therapeutic
applications. The enhanced properties of sd-rxRNA
include: efficient spontaneous cellular uptake, stability,
reduced potential for immune stimulation, and potent, long-lasting
intracellular activity. All cell types tested (primary,
neuronal and non-adherent) internalize sd-rxRNA compounds uniformly
and efficiently, resulting in potent and long lasting
silencing. sd‑rxRNA compounds have the ability to selectively
block the expression of any target in the genome, thus providing
applicability to a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas.
About RXi Pharmaceuticals
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII) is a
clinical-stage company developing innovative therapeutics that
address significant unmet medical needs. Building on the
pioneering discovery of RNAi, scientists at RXi have harnessed the
naturally occurring RNAi process which has the ability to "silence"
or down-regulate the expression of a specific gene that may be
overexpressed in a disease condition. RXi developed a robust
RNAi therapeutic platform including self-delivering RNA (sd-rxRNA®)
compounds, that have the ability to highly selectively block the
expression of any target in the genome, thus providing
applicability to many therapeutic areas. Our current programs
include dermatology, ophthalmology and cell-based
immunotherapy. RXi's extensive patent portfolio provides for
multiple product and business development opportunities across a
broad spectrum of therapeutic areas and we actively pursue research
collaborations, partnering and out-licensing opportunities with
academia and pharmaceutical companies. Additional information
may be found on the Company's website, www.rxipharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements
about: our ability to successfully develop RXI-109, Samcyprone™ and
our other product candidates (collectively "our product
candidates"); the future success of our clinical trials with our
product candidates; the timing for the commencement and completion
of clinical trials; our ability to enter into strategic
partnerships and the future success of these strategic
partnerships; and our ability to deploy our sd-rxRNA® technology
through partnerships, as well as the prospects of these
partnerships to provide positive returns. Forward-looking
statements about expectations and development plans of RXi's
product candidates and partnerships involve significant risks and
uncertainties, including the following: risks that we may not be
able to successfully develop and commercialize our product
candidates; risks that product development and clinical studies may
be delayed, not proceed as planned and/or be subject to significant
cost over-runs; risks related to the development and
commercialization of products by competitors; risks related to our
ability to control the timing and terms of collaborations with
third parties; and risks that other companies or organizations may
assert patent rights preventing us from developing or
commercializing our product candidates. Additional risks are
detailed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and
subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the caption "Risk
Factors." Readers are urged to review these risk factors and
to not act in reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual
results may differ from those contemplated by our forward-looking
statements. RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking
statements to reflect a change in its views, events or
circumstances that occur after the date of this release.
Contact
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Tamara McGrillen
508-929-3646
tmcgrillen@rxipharma.com
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SOURCE RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation