Avalon Pharmaceuticals Names Clinical Advisory Board
January 04 2007 - 5:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
Brian J. Druker, M.D., Pioneer Researcher in Targeted Therapeutics,
to Chair GERMANTOWN, Md., Jan. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avalon
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq and NYSE ArcaEx: AVRX), today
announced the formation of its Clinical Advisory Board (CAB). The
CAB will advise Avalon on all its clinical development programs.
Currently, the company's lead clinical candidate, AVN944 (IMPDH
inhibitor), is in the late stages of a Phase I hematological
malignancies clinical trial. Additional clinical programs are
expected to ensue from the Beta catenin and Aurora pathways
programs which are both in the lead optimization stage. Brian J.
Druker, M.D., a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and
JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research and Professor of Medicine at
the Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute will be
Chair of the CAB. Dr. Druker is widely recognized for his seminal
contributions to the discovery and development of Gleevec, one of
the first molecularly targeted cancer drugs used in the treatment
of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). He is also a member of the
Avalon Scientific Advisory Board. "We are excited about the
formation of our Clinical Advisory Board because it further
supports Avalon's development and the clinical trial efforts in
progress," said Kenneth Carter, Ph.D., President and CEO of Avalon.
"I am especially pleased to expand Avalon's association with Brian
Druker in his added role as Chair of our Clinical Advisory Board.
Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase (IMPDH), the target of AVN944,
is an important emerging target in the treatment of hematological
and other cancers and the counsel from the Clinical Advisory Board
will be important as we move into later stage clinical development.
Further, we also look forward to their counsel on the use of our
novel molecular profiling biomarkers strategies during clinical
trials using our core technology AvalonRx." The CAB further
consists of a number of clinical thought leaders from around the
country. "We are honored to have such a distinguished group of
clinicians join the Clinical Advisory Board," said Michael
Hamilton, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Avalon. "We believe that
the experience and expertise as reflected in the membership will
benefit Avalon and guide the direction of all our clinical
programs." Other members of the Clinical Advisory Board include the
following: Beverly Mitchell, M.D., Deputy Director of the Stanford
University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Mitchell's research
relates to the development of new therapies for hematologic
malignancies. She has a longstanding interest in IMPDH as a
therapeutic target and has published extensively on the regulation
of this enzyme and the potential role of inhibitors in the
treatment of leukemia in preclinical and clinical investigations.
Carmen Allegra, M.D., Co-Director of the Foundation Research
Program for the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project
(NSABP) and Medical Director for the Network for Medical
Communication and Research. Dr. Allegra is a board certified
medical oncologist with expertise in the study and treatment of
colorectal cancer. His FRP responsibilities include the development
and oversight of clinical trials in colorectal cancer. Prior to
joining the FRP, Dr. Allegra developed an international reputation
through his extensive contributions to the medical literature
during his 20 years as an investigator and Medicine Branch Chief at
the National Cancer Institute. Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D., Chief of
the Division of Hematologic Neoplasia, Director of the Jerome
Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, and Vice Chair of the Joint Program
in Transfusion Medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr.
Anderson has been a leader in the discovery of pathways that
regulate growth of multiple myeloma cells and in the testing in
clinical trials of drugs that disrupt these pathways. Otis Brawley,
M.D., Professor of Hematology, Oncology and Medicine at the Emory
University School of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology at the
Emory Rollins School of Public Health. He also serves as Associate
Director of the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University. In
addition, Dr. Brawley is Chief of Hematology and Oncology Services
and the Medical Director of the Georgia Cancer Coalition Center of
Excellence at Gardy Memorial Hospital. Edward A. Sausville, M.D.,
Ph.D., Professor of Medicine and Associate Director for Clinical
Research at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart
Greenebaum Cancer Center. In collaboration with Millennium
Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Sausville was instrumental in bringing to
clinical study the drug Velcade, the first of a new class of
medicines called proteasome inhibitors. Chris H. Takimoto, M.D.,
Ph.D., Director of Pharmacology and holds the Zachry Chair of
Translational Research at the Institute for Drug Development.
Doctor Takimoto is an expert in Phase I and early clinical
development of cancer therapies. These cancer authorities provide a
cross-section of expertise in hematologic and solid malignancies,
clinical trials design, and pharmaceutical development. About
AVN944 AVN944 is an oral small molecule drug candidate that
inhibits inosine monophospate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), an enzyme that
is critical for cells to be able to synthesize guanosine
triphosphate (GTP), a molecule required for DNA synthesis and
cellular signaling. IMPDH is over expressed in some cancer cells,
especially in the case of hematological malignancies. In laboratory
experiments, AVN944 has been shown to inhibit IMPDH activity in
cells, and suppress pools of GTP. Anticancer activities of IMPDH
inhibitors correlate with sustained depletion of GTP pools both in
cellular models and in human subjects. AVN944 appears to have a
selective effect on cancer cells in that deprivation of GTP in
normal cells results in a temporary slowing of cell growth, while
GTP deprivation in cancer cells induces cell death, or apoptosis.
Results from preclinical studies of AVN944 indicate that AVN944
inhibited the proliferation of lymphoid and myeloid cells, the
principal cells involved in the most common types of human
leukemias. In a single-dose, dose- escalation Phase I clinical
trial of AVN944 conducted in the United Kingdom in healthy
volunteers, AVN944: (1) was well tolerated at all tested doses with
no notable side effects; (2) demonstrated good pharmacokinetic
properties; and (3) had a significant inhibitory effect on IMPDH
enzyme activity. Avalon filed an IND with the FDA in August 2005
and initiated U.S. Phase I clinical trials in January 2006 for the
treatment of hematological cancers. About AvalonRx(R) AvalonRx(R)
is a comprehensive, innovative and proprietary suite of
technologies based upon large-scale gene expression analysis. This
platform facilitates drug discovery by expanding the range of
therapeutic targets for drug intervention, including targets and
target pathways frequently considered intractable using
conventional HTS approaches, allows more informed decisions about
which compounds to advance towards clinical trials, and facilitates
drug development through identification of biomarkers of efficacy
that can stratify patients or provide early indicators of response.
About Avalon Pharmaceuticals Avalon Pharmaceuticals is a
biopharmaceutical company using its proprietary technology,
AvalonRx(R), to discover and develop cancer therapeutics. Avalon
has a lead product in Phase I clinical development (AVN944 - IMPDH
inhibitor), preclinical programs to discover inhibitors for the
Beta-catenin and Aurora pathways and drug discovery collaborations
with MedImmune, Novartis, ChemDiv and Medarex. Avalon
Pharmaceuticals was established in 1999 and is headquartered in
Germantown, Md. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains,
in addition to historical information, certain forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties, in particular,
related to progress in our drug discovery programs and our
collaborations, and clinical progress in the development of AVN944.
Such statements reflect the current views of Avalon management and
are based on certain assumptions. Actual results could differ
materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number
of factors, risks and uncertainties including the risk that the
discovery programs and collaborations may not be successful and
that AVN944 will not progress successfully in its clinical trials,
and other risks described in our SEC filings. There can be no
assurance that our development efforts will succeed, that AVN944
will receive required regulatory clearance or, even if such
regulatory clearance is received, that any subsequent products will
ultimately achieve commercial success. The information in this
Release should be read in conjunction with the Risk Factors set
forth in our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K and updates contained
in subsequent filings we make with the SEC. Contacts: Avalon
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Noonan Russo Gary Lessing Wendy Lau (Media)
Executive Vice President & CFO Tel: (212) 845-4272 Tel: (301)
556-9900 Fax: (301) 556-9910 The Trout Group LLC Email: Chad Rubin
(Investors) Tel: (212) 477-9007 ext. 47 DATASOURCE: Avalon
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT: Gary Lessing, Executive Vice
President & CFO, Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-301-556-9900,
Fax: +1-301-556-9910, ; Media - Wendy Lau, of Noonan Russo,
+1-212-845-4272; Investors - Chad Rubin, of The Trout Group LLC,
+1-212-477-9007 ext. 47
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