Surface Logix SLx-4090 Selected Among Top 10 Most Promising Licensing Candidates In Cardiovascular Disease
BOSTON, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Surface Logix, Inc. announced today that SLx-4090, a clinical-stage compound, has been selected as one of the top ten most licensable cardiovascular therapeutics in development, offering significant potential for strategic partnering. SLx-4090 is a first-in-class enterocyte-specific microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor being developed for the treatment of dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of lipids in the bloodstream) and obesity. The selection was made by an independent committee assembled by Windhover Information, a leading provider of business information products and services to senior executives in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. As a selected company, Surface Logix has been invited to present data on SLx-4090 on Thursday, October 25, 2007 at Windhover's Therapeutic Area Partnerships conference being held in Philadelphia, PA.
"Selected companies have been screened using a strict set of judging criteria for the top ten award, and represent what our committee considered the most attractive cardiovascular licensing opportunities the industry has to offer," stated Roger Longman of Windhover Information.
"It is an honor to be chosen by this respected group of industry professionals, and we welcome the independent validation of SLx-4090," said Jim Mahoney, Surface Logix President and Chief Executive Officer. "We will be completing a Phase 2a trial this quarter, and preliminary data continue to show that within only 14 days, administration of SLx-4090 results in reductions in LDL levels, postprandial triglyceride levels and body weight, while avoiding any of the toxicities seen with systemic MTP inhibitors."
The selection committee was led by Marc Wortman, PhD, contributing writer to Windhover's IN VIVO and Start Up, and Ed Saltzman, president of Defined Health, a leading business development strategy consulting firm. Drawing on the analytic resources of both organizations, the group evaluated hundreds of compounds currently in development for the treatment of cardiovascular disease prior to selecting SLx-4090 among the top ten most attractive.
About SLx-4090 in Dyslipidemia
SLx-4090 is a novel microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor being developed for the treatment of dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of lipids in the bloodstream). Surface Logix designed SLx-4090 using its proprietary small molecule Pharmacomer(TM) technology to act specifically in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to prevent the transport of fats through the intestinal wall. This unique feature of intestinal selectivity allows potent activity against fat uptake while avoiding toxicity at other sites of MTP expression in the body including the liver, heart, testis, ovary, and eye.
Dyslipidemia currently affects approximately 10% of the global population, with 25% of these patients having elevated triglyceride levels. In addition, there is an increasing prevalence and medical need for lipid-modifying drugs in obese patients and patients with type 2 diabetes, as a high proportion of type 2 diabetic patients have abnormal concentrations of lipoproteins. In the U.S., Japan and Europe, it is estimated that there are more than 240 million people with abnormal lipoprotein levels. Of these, more than 55 million are estimated to have low high density lipoprotein (HDL) and/or high triglyceride levels.
About Surface Logix, Inc.
Surface Logix Inc. uses its expertise in biophysical chemistry to create and develop novel small molecule drugs (NCEs) with superior intrinsic drug- like properties that are clearly differentiated from competitive products. The company is advancing multiple internal programs focused primarily on cardiovascular, metabolic, inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. For more information, please visit http://www.surfacelogix.com.
scavanaugh@macbiocom.com
CONTACT: Leland Webster, Ph.D., M.B.A., Vice President, Corporate
Development of Surface Logix Inc., +1-617-746-8520; or Media, Sarah
Cavanaugh of MacDougall Biomedical Communications, Inc., +1-508-647-0209,
scavanaugh@macbiocom.com, for Surface Logix, Inc.
Web site: http://www.surfacelogix.com/