New Reports of Positive Preclinical Results using Small Molecule Hedgehog
Agonists
BIOWIRE2K
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2004--
Abstracts presented at annual neuroscience meeting demonstrate efficacy
in models of stroke, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury
Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a therapeutic drug development company, today
announced that three new studies on small molecule Hedgehog pathway
agonists are being presented at the 34th annual meeting of the Society
for Neuroscience being held in San Diego, California, from October 23-27.
These studies report positive results in preclinical models of stroke,
Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury upon treatment with small
molecule activators of the Hedgehog signaling pathway.
The Hedgehog signaling pathway regulates the normal development of the
brain and spinal cord. Curis has identified and developed several
promising small molecule compounds that can activate the Hedgehog
signaling pathway and thereby promote nervous system repair. These small
molecules are orally available and can enter into the brain and spinal
cord, thus making them a very attractive new class of drug development
candidates for neurological disorders.
In January 2004, Curis entered into an agreement to license Hedgehog
pathway agonist technologies to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of
Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) on an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing basis. The
agreement provides for the development and commercialization of
pharmaceutical products based on these technologies for therapeutic
applications in treatment of neurological disorders, such as stroke,
Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and other disorders.
Dr. Lee Rubin, Curis' Chief Scientific Officer, commented, "Curis'
success in discovering small molecules that can stimulate the Hedgehog
signaling pathway has provided a significant opportunity to develop a
novel class of drugs for the treatment of damaged nerve tissues. These
new studies offer an excellent illustration of the potential breadth of
neurological indications for which the Hedgehog agonists may have
therapeutic benefit. We believe that our partnership with Wyeth will
provide a very effective path forward for the clinical development of
these exciting drug candidates."
About Curis, Inc.
Curis, Inc. is a therapeutic drug development company. The Company's
technology focus is on regulatory pathways that control repair and
regeneration. Curis' product development involves the use of proteins or
small molecules to modulate these pathways. Curis has successfully used
this technology and product development approach to produce several
promising drug product candidates in the fields of kidney disease,
neurological disorders, cancer, alopecia, and cardiovascular disease. For
more information, please visit the Curis web site at www.curis.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
statements about Curis' drug discovery and development programs. Such
statements may contain the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates",
"plans", "seeks", "estimates" or similar expressions. These forward
looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve
risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause Curis'
actual results to be materially different from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements. Actual results can be affected by a number of
important factors including, among other things: adverse results in
Curis' and its strategic partners' product development programs;
difficulties or delays in obtaining or maintaining required regulatory
approvals; Curis' ability to obtain or maintain the patent and other
proprietary intellectual property protection necessary for the
development and commercialization of products based on its technologies;
changes in or Curis' inability to execute its realigned business
strategy; the risk that Curis does not obtain the additional funding
required to conduct research and development of its product candidates
and execute on its business plan; unplanned cash requirements and
expenditures; risks relating to Curis' ability to enter into and maintain
important strategic partnerships, including its ability to maintain its
current collaboration agreements with Genentech, Ortho and Wyeth; the
risk that competitors will discover and develop signaling pathway-based
therapeutics faster and more successfully that Curis and its
collaborators are able to; and other risk factors identified in Curis'
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on 10-Q and any
subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In
addition, any forward-looking statements represent the Company's views
only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views
as of any subsequent date. Curis disclaims any intention or obligation to
update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press
release whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Contacts
Curis, Inc.
Chief Financial Officer
Michael Gray, 617-503-6632
or
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Marc Charette, Ph.D., 617-503-6629
http://www.biospace.com/news_story.cfm?StoryID=17823620
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn
