Another LNA-based RNA Inhibitor Enters Clini...( COPENHAGEN March 20 /- Santaris P...),Health

COPENHAGEN, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Santaris Pharma announced today that the fourth LNA-based drug has been brought into the clinic. In the USA several patients with cancer have now been treated with the Company's Survivin inhibitor, which is jointly developed by Santaris Pharma and Enzon Pharmaceuticals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently accepted Enzon Pharma­ceutical's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the use of the LNA-based Survivin inhibitor.

Survivin is a key protein that controls cancer growth by playing a significant role in cell division, as well as inhibiting the programming that controls cell death. The Survivin inhibitor was developed using the Locked Nucleic Acid technology. In preclinical animal studies, EZN-3042 inhibited Survivin expression and tumor growth. It also potentiated the antitumor activity of taxol, an approved cancer therapeutic.

"Survivin is considered one of the most promising cancer targets and we are pleased that we were able to quickly advance this important compound into patients," said Jeffrey H. Buchalter, chairman and chief executive officer of Enzon Pharmaceuticals.

EZN3042 is one of eight LNA-based RNA inhibitors being developed by Santaris Pharma and Enzon Pharmaceuticals through a comprehensive partnership within the therapeutic area of cancer. Another compound forming part of the collaboration, EZN2968, an LNA-based hif1alfa inhibitor, is currently being investigated in two Phase I/II trials against a variety of cancers. Under the terms of the agreement, Enzon will have exclusive rights to develop and commercialize these compounds in the U.S. and other non-European territories. Santaris Pharma will retain exclusive rights to commercialization in Europe.

"This is the fourth LNA-based drug that has been brought into the clinic in record time either by ourselves or by a partner of ours based on our highly
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