AEterna Zentaris Presents Data Supporting Evaluation of AEZS-108 in Prostate Cancer at AS...( QUEBEC CITY June 1 / AEterna Zentaris...)

QUEBEC CITY, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - AEterna Zentaris Inc. (TSX: AEZ; Nasdaq: AEZS), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on endocrine therapy and oncology, today announced that it presented results supporting the evaluation of its targeted cytotoxic peptide conjugate compound, AEZS-108 (formerly AN-152), in prostate cancer. The presentation was made during yesterday's poster session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, being held through June 2, 2009 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The poster (#5163) entitled, "Expression of LHRH receptors in prostate cancer cells prior to therapy, following castration, or following treatment with LHRH agonists," S. Liu, A. V. Schally, S. Xiong, R. Cote, D. Hawes, L. Fazli, M. Gleave, J. Cai, F. Brands, J. Engel, J. Pinski, investigates the expression of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) receptors following prolonged exposure to LHRH agonists.

"Results presented are important for the expansion of potential indications for our anti-cancer compound, AEZS-108", stated Juergen Engel, Ph.D., President and CEO of AEterna Zentaris. "While clinical investigations so far focused on gynaecological indications, the new results show continued expression of LHRH receptors in prostate cancer specimens after prolonged use of LHRH agonists; these data provide further support to the investigation of AEZS-108 in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, a major genitourinary cancer indication in male patients."

Results

LHRH receptor expression was demonstrated in more than 95% of 130 prostate cancer specimens analyzed, irrespective of origin (primary tumor, metastases) or patients' prior hormonal treatment (none, castration, LHRH agonist). In all groups, the majority of specimens showed moderate to strong receptor expressi
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