Potent Oral Efficacy With a Clean Tolerability Profile Demonstrated in Preclinical Models Presented at AACR Conference
ORLANDO, Fla., March 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kevin Koch, Ph.D.,
President and Chief Scientific Officer, presented preclinical results for
ARRY-142886 (AZD6244), a novel, MEK inhibitor in clinical development
discovered by Array BioPharma Inc (Nasdaq: ARRY). The results were described
at the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in
Orlando, Florida in Dr. Koch's presentation titled "ARRY-142886, a novel and
highly selective MEK inhibitor in clinical trials." Dr. Koch's presentation
was part of the Research Paradigms in Anticancer Drug Discovery and
Development Educational Workshop.
Presentation Summary -- ARRY-142886 (AZD6244) Preclinical Results:
Activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAP kinase pathway has been implicated in
uncontrolled cell proliferation and tumor growth. ARRY-142886 (AZD6244), a
novel, selective, ATP non-competitive inhibitor of MEK 1/2, has nanomolar
activity against isolated MEK enzyme and numerous cancer cell lines. ARRY-
142886 (AZD6244) has demonstrated potent oral efficacy in several tumor
xenograft models of human cancer, including MIA PaCa2, A549, Colon26, PANC-1,
LoVo, Calu6, HCT116, MDA-MB-231, ZR-75-1 and LOX. Array has developed a
number of biomarkers to understand on a molecular level the role of MEK in
tumor cell proliferation and the relationship between MEK inhibition and
certain pathway activating mutations in cancer cells. Strategies in discovery
biology, computational sciences, drug design and predictive informatics were
described as they relate to increasing clinical success rates of novel
therapeutics both generally and specifically to ARRY-142886 (AZD6244).
In addition to Dr. Koch's presentation, scientists from Array will be
presenting four scientific posters on ARRY-142886 (AZD6244) on Tuesday, March
30 from 8 am to 12 pm-noon:
Abstract Number 3888
"ARRY-142886, a potent and selective MEK inhibitor: I) ATP-independent
inhibition results in high enzymatic and cellular selectivity"
Abstract Number 3889
"ARRY-142886, a potent and selective MEK inhibitor: II) Potency against
cellular MEK leads to inhibition of cellular proliferation and induction
of apoptosis in cell lines with mutant Ras or B-Raf"
Abstract Number 3890
"ARRY-142886, a potent and selective MEK inhibitor: III) Efficacy in
murine xenograft models correlates with decreased ERK phosphorylation"
Abstract Number 3891
"Preclinical development of ARRY-142886, a potent and selective MEK
inhibitor"
Please contact Tricia Haugeto at 303-386-1193, or
thaugeto@arraybiopharma.com, if you are interested in receiving copies of the
posters after they are presented.
About ARRY-142886 (AZD6244)
In December 2003, AstraZeneca AB acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to
ARRY-142886 (AZD6244) and related intellectual property for oncology
indications. Array recently filed the IND with the Food and Drug
Administration and will be responsible for performing a Phase I clinical
trial. AstraZeneca is responsible for all other aspects of clinical
development and commercialization.
Array plans to commence the Phase I trial shortly at two academic medical
centers in the United States. The trial is designed to evaluate tolerability
and pharmacokinetics of ARRY-142886 (AZD6244) following oral administration to
patients with advanced cancer. In addition, the trial is designed to examine
patients for indications of biological activity assessing pharmacodynamic and
tumor biomarkers.
About Array BioPharma:
Array BioPharma is creating the next generation of orally active drugs by
integrating the latest advances in chemistry, biology and informatics. Our
drug development pipeline is focused primarily in cancer and inflammatory
disease and includes several promising small molecule drugs that regulate
well-validated targets in therapeutically valuable disease pathways. Array
collaborates with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to
design, create and optimize drug candidates across a broad range of
therapeutic areas. For more information on Array, please go to
www.arraybiopharma.com.
Founded in 1998, Array BioPharma is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado and
employs over 250, including 200 scientists. Companies utilizing Array's drug
discovery expertise include AstraZeneca, Genentech, Eli Lilly, InterMune,
GenPath, Roche and Takeda.
About AstraZeneca:
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the
research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription
pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the top
five pharmaceutical companies in the world with healthcare sales of over
$18.8 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology,
cardiovascular, neuroscience and respiratory products. AstraZeneca is listed
in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global and European) as well as the
FTSE4Good Index.
For more information, please visit www.astrazenecapressoffice.com
Forward-Looking Statement:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve
significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in our annual
report filed on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003, and in
other reports filed by Array with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Because these statements reflect our current expectations concerning future
events, our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in
these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. These factors
include, but are not limited to, our ability to achieve and maintain
profitability, the extent to which the pharmaceutical and biotechnology
industries are willing to collaborate with and fund third parties on their
drug discovery activities, the ability of our collaborators and of Array to
meet drug discovery objectives tied to milestones and royalties, our ability
to continue to fund and successfully progress internal research efforts and to
create effective, commercially viable drugs, and our ability to attract and
retain experienced scientists and management. We are providing this
information as of March 27, 2004. We undertake no duty to update any forward-
looking statements to reflect the occurrence of events or circumstances after
the date of such statements or of anticipated or unanticipated events that
alter any assumptions underlying such statements.
SOURCE Array BioPharma Inc.
-0-
03/27/2004
/CONTACT:
Tricia Haugeto of Array BioPharma Inc., +1-303-386-1193,
thaugeto@arraybiopharma.com/
/Web site: http://www.astrazenecapressoffice.com /
/Web site: http://www.arraybiopharma.com /
(ARRY)
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