Radius Selects First Preclinical Candidate From SARM Discovery Program for the Treatment of Muscle Loss and Other Musculoskeletal ...( CAMBRIDGE Mass. June 9 /- Radius ...),Health

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Radius Health ("Radius") announced today that the company has selected the first lead candidate, RAD140, from its internal nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulator ("SARM") discovery program, for full preclinical development as a potential therapy for the treatment of age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) and other musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoporosis. Radius selected RAD140 from a series of promising SARMs after it demonstrated exceptional selectivity for anabolic activity in well-validated in vivo models. Radius expects to complete formal toxicology studies that will allow the company to commence human clinical trials for RAD140 in the first half of 2009.

"We are highly encouraged by data on RAD140 from our in vivo models, which demonstrate RAD140's strong potential to build new bone and muscle, with significant selectivity over prostate and other non-target tissues, excellent oral availability, and a promising safety profile," said Chris Miller, PhD, Vice President of Chemistry of Radius.

"The selection of RAD140 for pre-IND development is a significant milestone for Radius as it represents the first novel proprietary compound to emerge from the company's internal discovery program," said C. Richard Lyttle, PhD, President and CEO of Radius. "The Radius team has been extremely productive in advancing this first lead SARM candidate, and I am confident in our ability to complete preclinical studies and to initiate expected clinical trials in 2009."

About SARMs

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are a novel class of androgen receptor ligands that bind to and selectively activate androgen receptors to promote or inhibit specific androgen action in different tissues. SARMs have the potential to substantially expand the clinical benefits of androgens, including testosterone, on muscle and bone while avoiding the unwanted side-effects, which include stimulation of
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