AEterna Zentaris Enters into a License and Collaboration Agreement with Tulane University for a Novel Class of Potential Anti-Ca
October 27 2004 - 8:31AM
PR Newswire (US)
AEterna Zentaris Enters into a License and Collaboration Agreement
with Tulane University for a Novel Class of Potential Anti-Cancer
Agents - Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Antagonists QUEBEC, Oct.
27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AEterna Zentaris Inc. (TSX: AEZ;
NASDAQ: AEZS) today announced that it has entered into a license
and collaboration agreement with Tulane University, in New Orleans,
for the development of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GH-RH)
antagonists, a novel class of potential anti-cancer agents. Under
the terms of the agreement, AEterna Zentaris obtained worldwide,
exclusive rights to develop and commercialize GH-RH antagonists for
all potential indications, including cancer and endocrine
disorders, in exchange for research funding, an upfront fee and
milestone payments, in addition to royalties on future sales. GH-RH
antagonists represent a potential novel class of promising
anti-cancer agents that may offer distinct advantages as compared
to other classes of anti-tumor agents, with utility in a variety of
tumor types. In addition to their ability to exert both direct (by
blocking GH-RH receptors on tumor cells) and indirect (by blocking
the secretion of GH from the pituitary and thereby suppressing the
production of IGF-I in the liver) anti-proliferative effect, GH-RH
antagonists should offer a favorable safety profile, including lack
of side effects associated with traditional chemotherapeutic
agents. "We are very pleased to continue our extremely successful
cooperation with Prof. Andrew V. Schally and his group at Tulane
University with this exciting new approach for the treatment of
cancer and other endocrine diseases," said Prof. Jurgen Engel,
Executive Vice President, Global R&D and Chief Operating
Officer at AEterna Zentaris. "We are very excited to enter this
collaboration with AEterna Zentaris," said Prof. Andrew V. Schally,
Professor of Medicine and Head, Section of Experimental Medicine at
Tulane University. "GH-RH antagonists, in which our group has a
wide lead, are most promising for the therapy of a variety of
tumors and may offer distinct advantages over other classes of
prospective anti-tumor agents, including lack of severe side
effects typical of chemotherapy." "The addition of GH-RH
antagonists, which may offer broad therapeutic utility as
anti-cancer agents and endocrine therapy, represents an important
step in our continued effort on building a strategic portfolio in
oncology and endocrinology, our current areas of focus," concluded
Mr. Gilles Gagnon, President and Chief Executive Officer of AEterna
Zentaris. GH-RH is a hormone secreted in the brain by the
hypothalamus that acts on the pituitary gland to stimulate the
synthesis and the release of growth hormone (GH). Many tumor types
are potentially dependent on levels of GH and insulin-like growth
factors, IGF-I and IGF-II, which stimulate cell proliferation while
inhibiting programmed cell death (apoptosis). Initial, early
evidence for the anti-tumor activity of GH-RH antagonists was
provided by research conducted at Tulane University, which
demonstrated that GH-RH antagonists inhibit the growth of a broad
range of cancer cell lines, including pancreatic, colorectal,
prostate, breast, renal, small- cell/non small-cell lung cancer,
osteosarcoma and glioblastoma. Importantly, GH-RH antagonists were
shown to have a direct anti-proliferative effect in vitro on
certain cancer cell types, an action that is thought to be mediated
by the presence of locally-produced GH-RH, which may act as an
autocrine growth factor, and its receptors in the respective cancer
cell lines. GH-RH antagonists also inhibit indirectly the
production of IGF-I and IGF-II in tumors. About AEterna Zentaris
Inc. AEterna Zentaris Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused
in oncology and endocrine therapy. Its extensive portfolio, from
drug discovery to marketed products, includes perifosine, an
orally-active AKT inhibitor in several Phase II trials for multiple
cancers, and cetrorelix, an LHRH antagonist already marketed for in
vitro fertilization under the brand name Cetrotide(R), and also in
advanced clinical development for the treatment of uterine myoma,
endometriosis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). AEterna
Zentaris also owns 60% of Atrium Biotechnologies Inc., which
develops, manufactures and markets active ingredients, specialty
fine chemicals, cosmetic and nutritional products for the
cosmetics, chemical, pharmaceutical and nutritional industries.
News releases and additional information about AEterna Zentaris are
available on its new Web site 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: Media Relations, Paul Burroughs, (418) 652-8525 ext. 406,
; U.S. Investor Relations, Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Kim
Golodetz, (212) 838-3777, ; Investor Relations, Jacques Raymond,
(418) 652-8525 ext. 360, ; Europe, Matthias Seeber, +49 69 42602
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