LA JOLLA, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
(Nasdaq: AGPH) today announced that it has initiated human clinical trials of
its compound AG7088 targeting human rhinovirus, the most frequent cause of the
common cold. In phase I clinical studies being conducted in England, the
safety and pharmacokinetic parameters of single and multiple intranasal doses
of AG7088 will be evaluated in healthy volunteers in order to determine dosing
of the drug for subsequent efficacy studies.
AG7088 is a synthetic compound designed to inhibit human rhinovirus 3C
protease, an enzyme essential for rhinovirus replication. In in vitro assays,
AG7088 potently inhibited viral replication of all tested serotypes (48/48) of
rhinovirus, presenting a broad spectrum of antiviral activity. Treatment of
infected cells with AG7088 also has been shown to produce a significant
decrease in levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8, indicating the
potential not only to block replication of rhinovirus but also to diminish
clinical manifestations of infection. No significant toxicity was observed in
preclinical toxicology studies.
In addition to being the most frequent cause of the common cold in the
general population, rhinovirus infections are associated with exacerbations in
those with certain chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, emphysema,
and chronic bronchitis, affecting more than thirty million Americans.
Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an integrated pharmaceutical company
committed to the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of
innovative therapeutic products engineered to inactivate proteins that play
key roles in cancer, AIDS, and other serious diseases.
SOURCE Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.agouron.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/019650.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 019650
CONTACT:
Donna Nichols, Vice President, Head of
Corporate Communications of Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
619-622-3009
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