MELBOURNE, Australia and MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent covering its lead drug Ceflatonin(R) (homoharringtonine). The patent is entitled “Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, resistant or intolerant to ST1571, involving homoharringtonine alone or combined with other agents” and has been issued as U.S. patent number 6,987,103.
The patent covers the use of Ceflatonin in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Ph-positive acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in patients who are intolerant or resistant to imatinib (Gleevec(R)). In addition to covering the use of Ceflatonin as a single agent, the patent also covers use in combination with a range of drugs including cytarabine, interferon alpha, Gleevec, farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTI’s) and nucleoside analogs, in patients who are resistant to Gleevec.
“This is the third issued patent covering Ceflatonin, including claims covering formulations, synthesis and uses,” said Greg Collier, Ph.D., chief executive officer of ChemGenex. “This most recent patent provides long-term protection for use in CML, our initial indication. To date, we have filed 9 other patents covering a range of claims related hematologic malignancies, but also for potential use in solid tumors.”
Ceflatonin is currently being evaluated in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Two separate phase 2/3 clinical trials are planned to begin in the first half of 2006. The first study will be in patients with a specific bcr-abl point mutation (T315I) bcr-abl and the second in patients failing imatinib and dasatinib.
About Ceflatonin(R)
Ceflatonin(R) (sHHT) is a new, well-tolerated inducer of apoptosis in phase 2/3 clinical trials in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who have developed resistance to Gleevec(R). Initial approval will be sought in patients who have developed Gleevec(R) resistance and in patients resistant to abl-kinase inhibitors (T315I mutation positive), including Gleevec(R) and experimental kinase inhibitors. Additional studies in chronic myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia are intended to broaden the near-term market potential of the drug.
NOTE: Gleevec(R) is a registered trademark of the Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
About ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited (www.chemgenex.com)
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical development company dedicated to improving the lives of patients by developing therapeutics in the areas of oncology, diabetes, obesity, and depression. ChemGenex harnesses the power of genomics for target discovery and validation, and in clinical trials to develop more individualized therapeutic outcomes. ChemGenex’s lead compound, Ceflatonin(R), is currently in phase 2/3 clinical trials for leukemia and Quinamed(R) is in phase 2 clinical trials for prostate, breast and ovarian cancers. The company has a significant portfolio of anti-cancer, diabetes, obesity and depression programs, several of which have been partnered with international pharmaceutical companies. ChemGenex currently trades on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol “CXS” and on NASDAQ under the symbol “CXSP.”
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements made herein that use the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, including, among others, risks or uncertainties associated with the development of the company’s technology, the ability to successfully market products in the clinical pipeline, the ability to advance promising therapeutics through clinical trials, the ability to establish our fully integrated technologies, the ability to enter into additional collaborations and strategic alliances and expand current collaborations and obtain milestone payments, the suitability of internally discovered genes for drug development, the ability of the company to meet its financial requirements, the ability of the company to protect its proprietary technology, potential limitations on the company’s technology, the market for the company’s products, government regulation in Australia and the United States, changes in tax and other laws, changes in competition and the loss of key personnel. These statements are based on our management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties that could change the results described in the forward-looking statements. Investors should be aware that there are no assurances that results will not differ from those projected.
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited
CONTACT: Dr. Greg Collier, CEO and Managing Director, Australia, +61 35227 2752, or USA, +1-650-474-9800, ext. 103, or Dr. Dennis Brown,President and Director, USA, +1-650-474-9800, ext. 108, or Australia, +61 35227 2703, both of ChemGenex
Web site: http://www.chemgenex.com/
