JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioLineRx Ltd. (TASE:BLRX), a clinical stage drug development company, announced that data from Phase 2a trials of BL-1020, a GABA-enhanced antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia, will be presented today at the Society of Biological Psychiatry (SOBP) 63rd Annual Scientific Convention & Meeting held in Washington DC, May 1-3, 2008. Recent Phase 2a data demonstrate that BL-1020 is effective with no significant change in weight and no increase in extrapyramidal symptoms. Dr. Mark Weiser, MD, Director, Department of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center in Israel, will present the findings.
”We are pleased to present these Phase 2a data at this important psychiatric conference. The studies support our goal of developing a highly efficacious antipsychotic without compliance limiting extrapyramidal or metabolic side effects,” commented Morris C. Laster, MD, chief executive officer of BioLineRx. “We believe that the compound holds great promise for the treatment of schizophrenia, which currently poses an intractable medical problem for physicians and patients. We very much look forward to initiating the Phase 2b trial shortly.”
About BL-1020
BL-1020 is an orally available GABA-enhanced antipsychotic clinical candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia. In pre-clinical and three clinical trials to date, BL-1020 has consistently delivered efficacy without compliance limiting metabolic or motor side effects. These studies have shown that the compound has high dopamine blocking potency while activating GABA receptors in the brain. These properties may contribute to the safety profile of the drug by limiting EPS side effects. Moreover, based on pre-clinical data, BL-1020 can improve cognition.
BL-1020 is being developed by BioLineRx, Ltd. under a worldwide exclusive license from Ramot at Tel Aviv University Ltd. and Bar-Ilan Research and Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer arms of Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University respectively. BL-1020 was discovered by Professor Abraham Nudelman from the Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University; and Ada Rephaeli, Ph.D., Professor Abraham Weizman, MD, and Irit Gil-Ad, Ph.D. from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.
About BioLineRx
BioLineRx, a clinical stage drug development company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE:BLRX), is dedicated to building a robust pipeline of promising therapeutics for unmet medical needs. The Company’s leading programs are BL-1020 for the treatment of schizophrenia, which recently completed Phase 2a trials and will commence Phase 2b trials shortly, and BL-1040 for the treatment of damaged heart tissue post-acute myocardial infarction, which is currently undergoing a Phase 1/2 study. Additional products under development include compounds for the treatment of cancer and CNS, cardiovascular, metabolic, infectious and autoimmune diseases.
BioLineRx advances projects from early stage discovery and lead generation to advanced clinical trials. BioLineRx partners with researchers, universities and biotech companies to further the development of promising compounds. The Company was founded in 2003 by leaders in the Israeli life science arena including Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd., venture capital firms Giza Venture Capital and Pitango Venture Capital, and Hadasit, the technology transfer company of Hadassah Hospital and the Jerusalem Development Authority. For more information, please visit www.biolinerx.com.
Contact:
BioLineRx Ltd. Yuri Shoshan, VP Finance and Corporate Development +972-2-548-9100 yuri@biolinerx.com or Tsipi Haitovsky, Media Liaison, +972-52-598-9892 tsipih@biolinerx.com or Stern Investor Relations, Inc. Stephanie Baritz, 212-362-1200 stephanie@sternir.com
Source: BioLineRx Ltd.
