CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 19, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:MNTA), a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex mixture drugs, today announced presentation of results from a preclinical study of its novel oncology drug candidate, M402, in a murine pancreatic cancer model. The data showed thatM402, in combination with gemcitabine, significantly prolonged survival and reduced metastasis as compared to groups treated with saline alone or gemcitabine alone. The results were presented by Dr. Martijn Lolkema of the Cancer Research Institute, Cambridge, UK, in a poster titled "M402, a Novel Heparin Sulfate Mimetic, Synergizes with Gemcitabine to Improve Survival and Reduce Metastasis and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in a Genetically Engineered Mouse Model for Pancreatic Cancer" (abstract #LB-43) on Sunday, April 18, 2010 at the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), in Washington, D.C.
"Heparan sulphate proteoglycans play a central role in tumor progression and metastasis by presenting growth factors, and regulating heterotypic cell interactions," said Dr. Ganesh Venkataraman, Chief Scientific Officer at Momenta. "Recently, Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) of cancer cells has been implicated as a significant biological phenomenon behind tumor progression and metastasis. M402 targets growth factors in such a way that it offers the potential to reduce EMT, resulting in a significant reduction in metastasis and thus, providing a survival benefit in animals. We believe that leveraging heparan sulfate biology to target heterotypic biology has broad potential for developing novel therapies for a variety of diseases."
About the Study:
Mice that spontaneously develop pancreatic cancer were treated with twice-weekly i.p. doses of saline or gemcitabine (50 mg/kg/day) starting at Day 30, or with saline or M402 (40 mg/kg/day) from Day 30-90, or with a combination of gemcitabine plus M402.
Key Conclusions:
- The combination of M402 and gemcitabine significantly improved survival and substantially lowered the incidence of metastasis compared to mice treated with gemcitabine alone.
- Mice treated with M402 showed reduced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key step in the progression of tumor cells towards a more invasive phenotype.
Additional preclinical studies of M402 will be presented at AACR in a poster "M402 – A Novel Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Mimetic Targeting Tumor-Host Interactions" (abstract #2269) on Monday, April 19th from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
About M402
M402, the Company's second novel product candidate, is a heparan sulfate mimetic, containing a mixture of linear sugar chains and engineered to have potent anti-metastatic properties. M402 is currently in pre-clinical development.
About Momenta
Momenta Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company, headquartered in Cambridge, MA, specializing in the detailed structural analysis of complex mixture drugs. Momenta is applying its technology to the development of generic versions of complex drug products, as well as to the discovery and development of novel drugs.
To receive additional information about Momenta, please visit the website at www.momentapharma.com, which does not form a part of this press release.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release regarding management's future expectations, beliefs, intentions, goals, strategies, plans or prospects relating to the future clinical development and feasibility or utility of M402 or other product candidates based on heparan sulfate biology may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements in this press release regarding the results of the study data and its implications for future clinical trials, its implications regarding the efficacy of M402 or the future development of M402 or other product candidates based on heparan sulfate biology, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements are subject to the risk that future preclinical and clinical studies may lead to different (including less favorable) interpretations of the data and/or may identify important new data that are not reflected in these statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors referred to in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the section "Risk Factors," as well as other documents that may be filed by Momenta from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of such risks, uncertainties and factors, the Company's actual results may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements discussed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Momenta is providing the information in this press release as of this date and assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Our logo, trade names and service marks are the property of Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Other trademarks or service marks appearing in this press release are the property of their respective owners and are not the property of Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or its subsidiaries.