CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that Julian Adams, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is the recipient of the 25th annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-Bruce F. Cain Memorial Award. The award recognizes an individual or research team for outstanding preclinical research in the fields of medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, or tumor biology as related to drug discovery that has implications for the improved care of cancer patients; it encompasses anticancer, antiviral, and antifungal agents.
Dr. Adams is being honored for the synthesis of the first selective proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib (VELCADE(R)), for recognizing the potential of a proteasome inhibitor as a novel cancer therapeutic, and for appreciating the relationship between the proteasome, NF-kB and multiple myeloma.
“Julian is very deserving of this honor given his accomplishments in advancing the discovery and development of novel and important treatments for cancer patients,” said Steven H. Holtzman, Chief Executive Officer, Infinity. “This award is indicative of Julian’s expertise in and dedication to drug discovery and Infinity is fortunate to have him directing and mentoring our team.”
The Cain Award will be presented during the 97th AACR Annual Meeting being held in Washington, DC. As the 2006 recipient, Dr. Adams will receive an honorarium $10,000 and will deliver one of the meeting’s key lectures. Dr. Adams will present “The Proteasome and Cancer: The Discovery and Development of VELCADE,” at 9:00 a.m. EDT, April 5, in Ballroom A-B of the Washington Convention Center.
Dr. Adams, a recognized leader in drug discovery and development, was selected to receive the Cain Award for his groundbreaking research and development of PS-341, now marketed as VELCADE(R), for the treatment of multiple myeloma. This small molecule represents a new target area for anticancer agents and proves the ultimate benefit to cancer patients of targeted therapies.
Work on proteasome inhibition prompted Dr. Adams to consider the Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibition as another way in which to selectively target cancer cells’ aberrant protein management. IPI-504, Infinity’s lead product candidate, is a targeted cancer therapy that preferentially induces the death of cancer cells through Hsp90 inhibition. IPI-504 is currently in phase I clinical trials in both multiple myeloma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).
Dr. Adams joined Infinity as Chief Scientific Officer in October 2003 and was recently named President of the Company. He has a track record of successfully discovering and developing several first-in-class agents, including VELCADE(R), and before that, Viramune(R), the first non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV. Dr. Adams received his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the field of synthetic organic chemistry. He has received many awards, including the 2001 Ribbon of Hope Award for VELCADE(R) from the International Myeloma Foundation. Dr. Adams is an inventor of over 40 patents and has authored over 100 papers and book chapters in peer-reviewed journals.
About Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Infinity is an innovative cancer drug discovery and development company that leverages its strength in small molecule technologies to bring important new medicines to patients.
Editor’s Note: This release is available in the Media Room section of the Infinity website at http://www.ipi.com .
Contacts: Adelene Q. Perkins Paul Kidwell (media) Chief Business Officer Kidwell Public Relations Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 617-296-3854 617-453-1104 paul_kidwell@comcast.netAdelene.Perkins@ipi.com
Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CONTACT: Adelene Q. Perkins, Chief Business Officer of InfinityPharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-617-453-1104, or Adelene.Perkins@ipi.com; orMedia, Paul Kidwell of Kidwell Public Relations for InfinityPharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-617-296-3854, or paul_kidwell@comcast.net
Web site: http://www.ipi.com//
