CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 7, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:INFI), an innovative cancer drug discovery and development company, today announced that new data from several preclinical studies of the company's novel small molecule drug candidates -- the i.v.-administered Hsp90 inhibitor retaspimycin hydrochloride (also known as IPI-504) and the oral Hedgehog pathway inhibitor IPI-926 -- will be presented during the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) in San Diego, California, April 12 to 16, 2008.
"In addition to new preclinical data on our Hsp90 inhibitor, AACR will provide the scientific and clinical communities the first significant visibility into our innovative Hedgehog pathway antagonism program and novel, lead oral drug candidate IPI-926," stated Julian Adams, Ph.D., president of research and development and chief scientific officer of Infinity. "The Hedgehog pathway is a very exciting area of cancer research and is becoming increasingly recognized as a promising target for therapies that may block the progression and recurrence of a number of cancers for which there is a high unmet medical need."
The schedule of presentations for Infinity's lead Hsp90 inhibitor retaspimycin hydrochloride (IPI-504) is as follows:
Saturday, April 12, 4:15 to 4:40 p.m., Educational Session Title: Pharmaceutical development of IPI-504, an aqueous soluble analog of 17-AAG and potent inhibitor of Hsp90 Presenter: James R. Porter, Ph.D. Location: Ballroom 20D Monday, April 14, 11:55 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., Oral Presentation Title: IPI-504, a novel HSP90 inhibitor is effective in EGFR T790M and non-T790M gefitinib-resistant lung cancer cell lines Abstract No. 2450 Presenter: Joon O. Park, M.D. Session Title: Histone Deacetylase and Heat Shock Protein Inhibitors Location: Room 24A-C Tuesday, April 15, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Poster Presentation Title: IPI-504, a selective Hsp90 inhibitor is biologically active and tolerated in combination with trastuzumab in preclinical models of HER2 positive tumor xenografts Abstract No. 4008 Presenter: Ching Ching Leow, Ph.D. Session Title: Drug Discovery 2: Combination Strategies I Location: Exhibit Hall B-F, Section 29, Board 6 Tuesday, April 15, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Poster Presentation Title: IPI-504, a selective inhibitor of Hsp90, exhibits potent anti-tumor activity against metastatic melanoma cell lines that harbor B-Raf or N-Ras mutations Abstract No. 4764 Presenter: Jon Chesebrough Session Title: Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics Location: Exhibit Hall B-F, Section 28, Board 9
The schedule of presentations for Infinity's lead Hedgehog inhibitor, IPI-926, is as follows:
Sunday, April 13, 2:25 to 2:40 p.m., Oral Presentation Title: Activity of IPI-926, a potent HH pathway inhibitor, in a novel model of medulloblastoma derived from Ptch/HIC +/- mice Abstract No. 1588 Presenter: Melissa Pink Session Title: Small Molecule Inhibitors of Novel Targets Location: Room 33A-C Monday, April 14, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Poster Presentation Title: Depilation Induced Anagen as a Model to Study Hedgehog Pathway Antagonist IPI-926: Implications for Biomarker Development Abstract No. 2827 Presenter: Karen J. McGovern, Ph.D. Session Title: Novel Drug Targets, Agents, and Mechanisms Location: Exhibit Hall B-F, Section 9, Board 27 Tuesday, April 15, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Poster Presentation Title: A novel HH pathway inhibitor, IPI-926, delays recurrence post- chemotherapy in a primary human SCLC xenograft model Abstract No. 4611 Presenter: Veronica Travaglione Session Title: Therapeutic and Radiation Responsiveness of Stem Cells Location: Exhibit Hall B-F, Section 16, Board 18 Tuesday, April 15, 2:40 to 2:55 p.m., Oral Presentation Title: Self-renewal of acute lymphocytic leukemia cells is limited by the Hedgehog pathway inhibitors cyclopamine and IPI-926 Abstract No. 4999 Presenter: Tara L. Lin, M.D. Session Title: Generation and Maintenance of Cancer Stem Cells Location: Room 11A-B
About Retaspimycin (IPI-504)
Retaspimycin, also known as IPI-504, is a small molecule drug candidate being developed jointly by MedImmune and Infinity. The drug product, retaspimycin hydrochloride for injection, has shown promising biological activity in a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with metastatic and/or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and the Phase 1 portion of a Phase 1/2 study in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Retaspimycin is also being evaluated in Phase 2 studies in patients with NSCLC and hormone-refractory prostate cancer, as well as in a Phase 1b study in combination with Taxotere(r) (docetaxel). In preclinical studies, retaspimycin has been shown to inhibit Hsp90 potently and selectively, thereby killing cancer cells. Retaspimycin has also demonstrated, in preclinical studies, broad potential to treat certain cancers as both a single agent as well as in combination with existing anti-cancer drugs.
About IPI-926
IPI-926 is a novel, proprietary, derivative of the natural product cyclopamine that binds to the Smoothened receptor to inhibit the Hedgehog pathway. The Hedgehog pathway is normally active during embryonic development and regulates tissue and organ formation. When abnormally activated in adults, the Hedgehog pathway is believed to play a central role in allowing the proliferation and survival of cancer cells, including pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, hematologic cancers, skin cancers and certain brain cancers. When systemically administered in multiple preclinical animal models, IPI-926 has shown potent and selective inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway, anti-tumor activity, and attractive pharmacologic properties including oral bioavailability and extended half-life.
About Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Infinity is an innovative cancer drug discovery and development company that is seeking to leverage its strength in small molecule drug technologies to discover, develop, and deliver to patients best-in-class medicines for the treatment of cancer and related conditions. For more information on Infinity, please refer to the company's website at http://www.infi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains, in addition to historical information, certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, in particular statements related to the research and development of retaspimycin and IPI-926. Such statements reflect the current views of Infinity management and are based on certain assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors, including risks and uncertainties discussed in the reports and other documents filed by Infinity with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in Infinity's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 14, 2008. There can be no assurance that such development efforts will succeed, that the products will receive required regulatory clearance or, even if such regulatory clearance is received, that the subsequent products will ultimately achieve commercial success. Further, any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement speak only as of the date hereof, and Infinity expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise may be required by applicable law or regulation.
Taxotere(r) is a registered trademark of sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC
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