Poniard Pharmaceuticals Provides 2009 Clinical Data Goals for ...( SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO Jan. 8 /- Pon...),Health

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, today provided an overview of its 2009 clinical goals for development of picoplatin, its lead product candidate. Picoplatin is a new generation platinum-based chemotherapy agent with the potential to become a platform product addressing multiple indications, combinations and formulations. It is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 registrational trial (SPEAR or Study of Picoplatin Efficacy After Relapse) in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and in Phase 2 clinical trials as a first-line chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) and hormone-refractory (HRPC) or castration-resistant (CRPC) prostate cancer. Picoplatin is designed to overcome platinum resistance and has the potential for an improved safety profile compared to other platinum-based chemotherapies currently in use.

"We expect that 2009 will be a catalytic year for Poniard, as we expect to complete enrollment in our ongoing registration trial in small cell lung cancer. We believe the results of this trial could support an NDA filing, leading to approval and commercialization of picoplatin in 2010," said Jerry McMahon, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Poniard. "We continue to execute our clinical strategy to broaden picoplatin's potential as a platform product. We plan to present clinical data from our other ongoing Phase 2 colorectal and prostate cancer trials at multiple medical conferences. These data, together with picoplatin data in over 750 patients in a broad range of tumor types supports future development and use of picoplatin for the treatment of lung, colorectal, ovarian, prostate, breast, head and neck, bladder, pancreatic and other cancers."

"Poniard is fortunate to have sufficient
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