- Xanthus Plans to Reinitiate Clinical Trials in Advanced Lung Cancer -
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Xanthus Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., a privately-held oncology drug development company, today announced
that the Company has acquired from Schering AG, Berlin, the exclusive
worldwide rights to develop and commercialize a group of targeted cancer
compounds. The lead compound is P2045, which Xanthus intends initially to
develop for the treatment of advanced lung cancer.
About P2045
P2045 is a small peptide of 11 amino acids that specifically targets
tumors over-expressing somatostatin receptors (SSTR) such as lung cancers,
neuroendocrine cancers and some breast cancers. P2045, when combined with
the radioisotope, Rhenium-188, is designed to deliver a dose of radiation
to SSTR-expressing tumors, thereby eradicating them or inhibiting their
growth. Schering AG has previously studied radiolabeled P2045 in several
Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with small cell and non-small cell lung
cancer.
The original discovery and development of P2045 was initiated by
Xanthus' CEO, Richard T. Dean, Ph.D. and Vice President, Development, John
Lister-James, Ph.D. and their R&D colleagues while they were at Diatide,
Inc., prior to its acquisition by the Schering group.
"P2045 is an important addition to our oncology pipeline," said Richard
T. Dean, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Xanthus. "P2045 gives Xanthus a
novel compound with a targeted mechanism of action to complement our
current portfolio of therapeutic candidates. Furthermore, our prior
experience with P2045 and the successful development of
radiopharmaceuticals, along with the rich development experience of the
Company's management team, make Xanthus particularly well-suited to execute
the clinical and regulatory strategy for advancing the program towards
commercialization."
"I am excited to have the opportunity to work on the development of
this series of molecules. From the initial development of P2045 at Diatide,
we believed that this compound had the potential to make a significant
impact on the treatment of cancer by offering a novel way to target therapy
directly to the tumor cells," said John Lister-James, Ph.D., Xanthus' Vice
President, Development.
"Advanced lung cancer is responsible for a large proportion of newly
reported cases and it is known to have one of the highest mortality rates
for both men and women. In spite of several new single and combination
therapy regimens, there is a compelling need for new therapeutic options,"
commented Michael A. Boss, Ph.D., Xanthus' Chief Business Officer.
Under the terms of the agreement with Schering AG, Xanthus will have
exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize compounds covered
by the acquired technology. For these rights, Xanthus paid Schering an
upfront fee and has agreed to make payments upon the achievement of
predetermined milestones, as well as to pay a royalty to Schering on net
sales. Additional financial terms were not disclosed.
About Xanthus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Xanthus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is developing a portfolio of novel,
clinical-stage, small-molecule oncology candidates through a management
team whose accomplished track record encompasses all aspects of drug
development, from discovery through regulatory approval and
commercialization. The Company is applying its expertise both to advance
its current pipeline and expand it into indications of unmet medical need
beyond oncology.
Xanthus is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an additional
facility in Montreal, Quebec. More information is available at
http://www.xanthus.com .
Contacts:
Kari Watson, MacDougall Biomedical Communications, Inc. -
kwatson@macbiocom.com or (508) 647-0209
Lisa Terry, Xanthus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - lisa.terry@xanthus.com or
(617) 225-0522, x 105
SOURCE Xanthus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.xanthus.com/
CONTACT:
Kari Watson of MacDougall Biomedical
Communications, Inc., +1-508-647-0209, or kwatson@macbiocom.com,
for Xanthus Pharmaceuticals; or Lisa Terry of Xanthus
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-617-225-0522, ext. 105, or
lisa.terry@xanthus.com
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