Myriad Genetics Presents New Data on Cancer Drugs at AACR
- Presentations Highlight MPC-6827 and MPC-2130 Tumor Inhibition -
SALT LAKE CITY, April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Myriad Genetics, Inc.
(Nasdaq: MYGN), announced today that it is presenting data on its cancer drug
candidate MPC-6827, and the anti-tumor activity of drug candidate MPC-2130
during the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Anaheim,
CA, April 16-20, 2005.
The first of four Myriad presentations at the meeting was entitled,
"Antitumor Activity of MPC-2130 in Human Ovarian and Prostate Tumor Xenografts
in Athymic Nude Mice." The presentation described the ability of MPC-2130 to
inhibit the growth of blood and solid tumors such as lymphomas, ovarian
cancers and prostate cancers, in mouse cancer models. In addition, in vitro
studies showed that MPC-2130 was not a substrate for MDR pumps and has
significant brain penetration. In preclinical testing, the compound has
performed as a broad-acting inducer of apoptosis.
Three additional data presentations are scheduled for today, between
1:00-5:00 pm, and are entitled:
* MPC-6827, a small molecule inhibitor of microtubule formation with
high brain penetration: absorption, distribution, metabolism,
excretion, and clinical consideration.
* MPC-6827: A small molecule inhibitor of microtubule formation that is
not a substrate for multi-drug resistance pumps.
* MPC-6827, a small molecule inhibitor of microtubule formation:
pharmacokinetics in Nu/+ mice and Sprague Dawley rats following
intravenous administration
These studies demonstrate that MPC-6827 acts through tubulin; however,
unlike other current cancer drugs that effect tubulin, MPC-6827 was equally
potent in the induction of apoptosis in cancer cell lines, regardless of the
cell line's multiple drug resistance status. These data suggest that MPC-6827
may be effective in the treatment of multiple drug resistant cancers.
In addition to its well-validated cancer drug target and avoidance of MDR,
MPC-6827 has the ability to cross the blood/brain barrier and achieve high
concentrations in the brain. In preclinical studies, MPC-6827 was
demonstrated to reach approximately 1500% greater concentration in the brain
than in the blood. The highest brain penetration percentage of drugs that are
currently used in treating brain cancer is that of temozolomide, which reaches
a peak brain concentration level that is just 29% of the blood plasma
concentration. This aspect of the drug candidate suggested an opportunity to
study anti-tumor activity in patients with primary brain tumors and brain
metastases that are resistant to current standard of care therapy. A Phase 1
study is currently ongoing that is designed to evaluate the potential of
MPC-6827 to treat metastatic brain cancer without significant systemic
exposure or toxicity.
In preclinical testing, MPC-6827 was demonstrated to be significantly more
active than the relevant standard-of-care chemotherapy drug at inhibiting
tumor growth in xenograft models of cancer. In these models, MPC-6827 was as
effective as doxorubicin in breast cancer, gemcitibine in pancreatic cancer,
irinotecan in colon cancer, carboplatin in ovarian cancer and demonstrated a
substantial inhibition of prostate cancer tumor growth, for which there is no
currently recognized standard of care.
About Multiple Drug Resistance
Cancer cells may become resistant to anti-cancer drugs through a cellular
function that actively secretes drug from the cell. The function is carried
out by multiple drug resistance (MDR) pumps and is the primary cause of
cancer's resistance to marketed drugs such as paclitaxel and vinblastine.
Both MPC-2130 and MPC-6827 were tested to determine their relative
susceptibility to MDR pumps and were shown to be equally effective in
anti-cancer activity against both the resistant and non-resistant cell lines
tested, demonstrating that the drug candidates are not substrates for MDR
pumps.
About Myriad's Clinical Trials in Cancer
Investigational drug MPC-6827 is being studied in two Phase 1 human
clinical trials. Both trials use an escalating dose regimen designed to
evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of MPC-6827 in patients with
advanced solid tumors. The second Phase 1 trial with this drug candidate
focuses on metastatic brain tumors. This more narrowly focused trial is
designed to demonstrate the potential seen in preclinical testing with
MPC-6827 to treat metastatic brain cancer by achieving therapeutic
concentrations in the brain that are sufficient to treat tumors without
significant systemic exposure or toxicity.
Also in the Phase 1 clinical trial stage is MPC-2130. The study is
designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of MPC-2130 in
patients with advanced metastatic tumors or blood cancers as well as
refractory cancer that has progressed despite previous chemotherapy. In
preclinical studies MPC-2130 demonstrated significant cancer cell killing
activity in ovarian cancer and prostate cancer as well as two lymphoma cell
lines, Burkitt's lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma. MPC-2130 was also shown to be
effective in mice implanted with human tumors, by demonstrating a significant
reduction in ovarian cancer and prostate cancer. In addition, Myriad is
evaluating MPC-7869 in a large, well-controlled, 3-year, Phase IIb clinical
trial in prostate cancer, which is expected to complete its clinical study
period in the second calendar quarter of 2006. Myriad is also developing a
broad range of pre-clinical compounds, with three late-stage programs in the
fields of cancer, HIV and emesis that have the potential to reach the human
clinical trial stage during the next 12 months.
To Review the Presentation Materials
The presentations are published in the 2005 Proceedings of the AACR, and
are available online at www.AACR.org or by using the following link:
http://www.abstractonline.com/viewer/?mkey=%7B218FF7E7-9F17-4030-9BB4-
8C029B0C9B4E%7D
About Myriad Genetics, Inc.
Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the
development of novel healthcare products. The Company develops and markets
predictive medicine products, and is developing and intends to market
therapeutic products. Myriad's news and other information are available on
the Company's Web site at www.myriad.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward looking statements are based on management's current expectation and
are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those set forth or implied by forward-looking
statements. These include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to the
extent of future government regulation of Myriad Genetics' business;
uncertainties as to whether Myriad Genetics and its collaborators will be
successful in developing, and obtaining regulatory approval for, and
commercial acceptance of, therapeutic compounds; the risk that markets will
not exist for therapeutic compounds that Myriad Genetics develops or if such
markets exist, that Myriad Genetics will not be able to sell compounds, which
it develops, at acceptable prices; and the risk that the Company will not be
able to sustain revenue growth for its predictive medicine business and
products. These and other risks are identified in the Company's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004. All information in this
press release is as of April 18, 2005, and Myriad undertakes no duty to update
this information unless required by law.
SOURCE Myriad Genetics, Inc.
04/18/2005
CONTACT: William A. Hockett, Vice President of Corporate Communications
of Myriad Genetics, Inc., +1-801-584-3600, bhockett@myriad.com
Web site: http://www.AACR.org
Web site: http://www.myriad.com
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