•Potent, selective and orally bioavailable inhibitor of PRMT5
• First arginine methyltransferase (RMT) inhibitor to show in vitro and in vivo activity in pre-clinical models of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
• Displays robust anti-tumor activity as single agent in MCL xenograft animal models
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Epizyme, Inc. (NASDAQ:EPZM), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company creating innovative personalized therapeutics for patients with genetically defined cancers, announced today the results from a preclinical study showing in vitro and in vivo activity of its first-in-class PRMT5 inhibitor EPZ015666 in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). PRMT5 is an arginine methyltransferase (RMT), a subset of histone methyltransferases (HMTs), that is overexpressed in multiple human malignancies, including MCL. These data will be presented today by Elayne Penebre, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Epizyme, at the 56th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in San Francisco, Calif.
“PRMT5 is the third target to come from the Epizyme platform, following EZH2 and DOT1L. Not only is EPZ015666 our first RMT inhibitor, it is the first RMTi to demonstrate in vivo activity in preclinical models. We look forward to extending our studies in MCL, as well as other tumor types,” said Robert A. Copeland, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Epizyme.
EPZ015666 demonstrated potent killing of cancer cells in vitro and efficacy in animal models of MCL, with correlation to methyl mark inhibition. EPZ01566 is orally bioavailable and demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of intracellular symmetric arginine di-methylation of SmD3, a PRMT5 substrate that plays a critical role in RNA processing. In pre-clinical studies, Z138 and Maver MCL cell lines were shown to be sensitive to EPZ015666, and in xenografts of these cell lines, the compound showed dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition.
The PRMT5 clinical development program is part of a collaboration and license agreement with GSK.
About Epizyme, Inc.
Epizyme, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company creating personalized therapeutics for patients with genetically defined cancers. Epizyme has built a proprietary product platform that the company uses to create small molecule inhibitors of a 96-member class of enzymes known as histone methyltransferases, or HMTs. HMTs are part of the system of gene regulation, referred to as epigenetics, that controls gene expression. Genetic alterations can result in changes to the activity of HMTs, making them oncogenic (cancer-causing). By focusing on the genetic drivers of cancers, Epizyme’s targeted science seeks to match the right medicines with the right patients for a personalized approach to cancer treatment.
For more information, visit www.epizyme.com and connect with us on Twitter at @EpizymeRx.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Epizyme, Inc. and other statements containing the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation of future clinical studies or expansion of ongoing clinical studies, whether results of preclinical studies or early clinical studies such as the preclinical data reported in this release will be indicative of the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals, development progress of the Company’s companion diagnostics, availability of funding sufficient for the Company’s foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements, other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of the Company’s therapeutic candidates or companion diagnostics and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in November 2014. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date hereof. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.
Contacts
Media/Investors:
Epizyme, Inc.
Manisha Pai, 617-229-7560
mpai@epizyme.com
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