AEterna Zentaris Announces Research Project with the University of Montreal on its Ghrelin Antagonist Compounds for Obesity at
May 03 2006 - 11:46AM
PR Newswire (US)
MONTREAL, May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AEterna Zentaris Inc.
(TSX: AEZ; NASDAQ: AEZS) today announced, at its Annual General
Meeting, a partnership agreement with the University of Montreal to
launch a preclinical research project on the role of ghrelin in the
development of obesity. This project, led by Huy Ong, Professor at
the Faculty of Pharmacy, at the University of Montreal, will be
conducted during a three-year period with an initial budget of
C$1.2 million. Ghrelin is a recently-discovered natural hormone
secreted by the stomach which increases appetite and also induces
accumulation of fat tissue. Therefore, developing ghrelin
antagonist molecules could lead to appetite suppression and to the
development of novel treatment for obesity. AEterna Zentaris
developed many small orally-bioavailable molecules which could have
ghrelin antagonist properties, while the University of Montreal has
produced a unique and innovative model which will enable to
identify those AEterna Zentaris molecules which antagonize the
effect of ghrelin on the accumulation of fat tissue. Such molecules
could eventually become a treatment against obesity and other
related metabolic disorders. "We are very pleased to start the
transfer from Europe to Canada of promising molecules against
obesity. There is a great need for novel treatments in this
indication which represents a large market potential. Ghrelin is an
attractive new target for drugs in endocrinology and this research
project represents a further step in building a portfolio of novel
products in order to position AEterna Zentaris as a
biopharmaceutical company with a focus on endocrinology and
oncology," said Gilles Gagnon, President and Chief Executive
Officer at AEterna Zentaris. "Both Canada and Quebec have excellent
R&D infrastructures and world-renowned researchers, such as
Professor Ong and his team, and with whom we are proud to be
associated today." "We are very excited to start this collaboration
with AEterna Zentaris," mentioned Dr. Jacques Turgeon, Vice Rector
of Research at the University of Montreal. "This alliance between
the private industry and the University community greatly
contributes to the development and prominence of scientific
research in Quebec, which can lead to significant discoveries and
applications in healthcare." "The interest in ghrelin as a
potential therapeutic target has increased significantly over the
last two years especially in obesity which has become epidemic,"
said Dr. Jurgen Engel, Executive Vice President, Global Research
and Development and Chief Operating Officer at AEterna Zentaris.
"We have worked with growth hormone modulators since 1998 and over
the last two years, we have synthetized and tested more than 250
substances for their binding affinity to a ghrelin receptor. The
project with Montreal University could bring a new drug candidate
to the clinical stage within the next couple of years." Ghrelin and
Ghrelin Antagonists Ghrelin is a natural peptide hormone produced
by the stomach that increases appetite and induces accumulation of
fat tissue. The recent discovery of ghrelin and its receptors opens
up new opportunities for the treatment of obesity and eating
disorders through the use of ghrelin antagonists to suppress
appetite. AEterna Zentaris actually has other ongoing preclinical
research studies for the development of ghrelin antagonists which
could apply to eating disorders, in collaboration with the
Laboratory of Aminoacids, Peptides and Proteins of the University
of Montpellier, France, directed by Prof. Jean Martinez, and with
the Department of Experimental and Environmental Medicine of the
University of Milan, Italy, directed by Prof. Vittorio Locatelli.
About the Obesity Market There is no safe and effective appetite
suppressant currently on the market. It is estimated that between
34 million to 61 million Americans are obese, and the worldwide
incidence of obesity is increasing by an estimated 1% per year. The
global obesity market is expected to reach US$3.7 billion by 2008,
with annual growth of 21.1%. AEterna Zentaris' presentation at the
Annual General Meeting will be available on the Company's website
at http://www.aeternazentaris.com/, by noon, on Wednesday, May 3,
2006. AEterna Zentaris Inc. AEterna Zentaris Inc. is a growing
global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and endocrine
therapy with proven expertise in drug discovery, development and
commercialization. AEterna Zentaris also owns 48.29% of the equity
of Atrium Biotechnologies Inc. (TSX: ATB.sv) and 64.7% of its
voting rights. Atrium is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of
science-based products for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, chemical
and nutritional industries. News releases and additional
information are available at http://www.aeternazentaris.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains
forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the U.S. Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the
availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the
successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the ability
of the Company to take advantage of business opportunities in the
pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the regulatory
process and general changes in economic conditions. Investors
should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the
Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information
on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking
statements. Investors are cautioned not to rely on these
forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to
update these forward-looking statements. DATASOURCE: AETERNA
ZENTARIS INC. (FORMERLY/ANCIENNEMENT - LES LABORATOIRES AETERNA
CONTACT: AEterna Zentaris Inc.: Media Relations, Paul Burroughs,
(418) 652-8525, ext. 406, , ; Investor Relations, Jenene Thomas,
(418) 655-6420 or (908) 996-3154; University of Montreal: Guillaume
Roy, (514) 343-7891, ; To request a free copy of this
organization's annual report, please go to http://www.newswire.ca/
and click on reports@cnw.
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