FLEMINGTON, N.J., June 3, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arno Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB:ARNI), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology therapeutics, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Veridex, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, to develop a diagnostic test to detect the presence of activated progesterone receptors (APRs) as a potential biomarker of anti-progestin activity in circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The diagnostic will help identify patients whom could potentially benefit from treatment with anti-progestins including onapristone, an orally-administered, investigational type 1 progestin receptor antagonist being developed by Arno.
CTCs are cancer cells that have detached from a solid tumor in the body and are found in the bloodstream. The collaboration will allow Arno to utilize Veridex's proprietary technology, CELLSEARCH®, which uses an advanced cell separation technique called microfluidic separation integrated with innovative magnetic sorting, to isolate CTCs and further analyze the cells for the presence of APR. The CELLSEARCH® CTC System is the first and only standardized, FDA-cleared, semi-automated system that captures, isolates, and counts CTCs with a high level of sensitivity and specificity.
In pre-clinical studies, the presence of APR has shown to be predictive of onapristone activity. Onapristone is believed to work by binding to progesterone receptor proteins, thereby inhibiting dimerization, phosphorylation and DNA transcription activity. Progesterone receptors (PRs) are found in particular cells including those of the female reproductive tissue and some cancers.i The hormone progesterone binds to the receptors and may cause the cells to grow.i Preclinical studies have shown that PRs can play a role as drivers of malignant cell growth in certain cancers.
"We are pleased to work with Veridex as we believe its pioneering technology for isolating circulating tumor cells will serve as an important tool for the continued development and study of onapristone," said Glenn Mattes, chief executive officer and president, Arno Therapeutics. "By taking blood samples from patients rather than obtaining tissue samples, we hope to create a simplified and less invasive process for identifying patients that are most likely to benefit from treatment with onapristone."
The diagnostic test will be used in future clinical studies of onapristone, which the company is planning to begin in the second half of 2013.
About Arno Therapeutics
Arno Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative products for the treatment of cancer. Arno has exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market three innovative anti-cancer product candidates. These compounds are in clinical or preclinical development as product candidates to treat hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. For more information about the company, please visit www.arnothera.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "believes," "intends," and similar words or phrases. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, progress and anticipated results of the clinical development of onapristone, Arno's use of the diagnostic test being developed with Veridex in its planned Phase I trial of onapristone, as well as Arno's strategy, future operations, outlook, milestones, future financial position, future financial results, plans and objectives. We may not actually achieve these plans, intentions or expectations and Arno cautions investors not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. Such factors include, among others, risks that the results of clinical trials will not support our claims or beliefs concerning the effectiveness of onapristone or any of our other product candidates, our ability to finance the development of our product candidates, regulatory risks, and our reliance on third party researchers and other collaborators. Additional risks are described in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Arno is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
i National Cancer Institute. NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?cdrid=423248. Last accessed: May 7, 2013.