WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq:RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using targeted biotherapeutics, today announced that new preclinical data using proprietary self-delivering RNAi (sd-rxRNA™) compounds, including RXI-109, will be presented at the 7th Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society, September 8-10, 2011 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
RXi will be presenting data on preclinical efficacy of RXI-109 (sd-rxRNA compound targeting CTGF (connective tissue growth factor)) demonstrating robust, dose dependent, long-lasting, target-specific silencing of CTGF, which in turn, impacts myofibroblast differentiation and collagen deposition, key markers of the fibrosis process. In addition, new data clarifying the mechanism of cellular uptake of sd-rxRNA compounds and intraocular efficacy and safety will be presented. The data presented will be available on RXi's website following the conference, http://www.rxipharma.com/scientific_publications_presentations.html
"Progressing RXI-109 towards clinical trials marks a significant shift in RXi's strategic focus and development capabilities," stated Mark Ahn, PhD, RXi's President & Chief Executive Officer. "Promising preclinical results have demonstrated that our proprietary self-delivering, sd-rxRNA compounds have the potential to overcome delivery challenges in enabling breakthrough RNAi technologies to address significant unmet medical needs."
About RXI-109
RXi Pharmaceuticals has initiated development of clinical candidate RXI-109, a self-delivering RNAi compound (sd-rxRNA) for the reduction of dermal scarring in planned surgeries. Based on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, RXI-109 is designed to reduce the expression of CTGF (connective tissue growth factor), a critical regulator of several biological pathways involved in fibrosis, including scar formation in the skin. RXi has manufactured sufficient amount of RXI-109 to support a Phase 1 /2 clinical trial using an experienced cGMP oligonucleotide manufacturer and initiated its Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling toxicology program. Pending review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company intends to use an innovative clinical trial design to study safety and tolerability as well as initial efficacy in its first clinical trial targeted for 2012.
About Self-delivering rxRNA™ (or sd-rxRNA)
RXi's sd-rxRNA compounds are designed for therapeutic use and have drug-like properties, such as high potency, target specificity, serum stability, reduced immune response activation, and efficient cellular uptake. They are hybrid oligonucleotide molecules which the Company believes combine the beneficial properties of both conventional RNAi and antisense technologies. sd-rxRNAs have a single-stranded phosphorothioate region, a short duplex region, and contain a variety of nuclease-stabilizing and lipophilic chemical modifications. The combination of these features has the potential to allow sd-rxRNAs to achieve efficient spontaneous cellular uptake and potent, long-lasting intracellular activity.
About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq:RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using targeted biotherapeutics. For more information, visit www.rxipharma.com.
The RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10128
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the future expectations, plans and prospects of the development of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation's products. These forward-looking statements about future expectations, plans and prospects of the development of the Company's products are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those identified under "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in other filings the Company periodically makes with the SEC. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this presentation.