Bionovo Reports on Metabolic Studies Related to Its Menopausal Hot Flash Drug...( EMERYVILLE Calif. Sept. 12 /- Bio...),Health

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bionovo, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNVI) today announced the publishing of a paper in the journal for the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Drug Metabolism and Disposition, entitled "Oxidative In Vitro Metabolism of Liquiritigenin, a Bioactive Compound Isolated from the Chinese Herbal Selective Estrogen Beta-Receptor Agonist MF101."

Liquiritigenin is one of the active compounds of MF101, Bionovo's drug candidate for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes, currently poised to start Phase 3 clinical testing.

The paper describes in vitro metabolism of Liquiritigenin which is almost exclusively metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4. The metabolite that was identified is three times more potent than the parent compound towards selective activation of the estrogen receptor beta. Enzyme kinetic experiments suggest that clinically relevant drug-drug interactions are highly unlikely, which is a positive safety feature of MF101, applicable if the drug is taken in combination with other drugs.

The paper is available at http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/cgi/reprint/dmd.108.021402v1.

"Most adverse drug reactions are linked to metabolism of the drug in the human body. Many women of menopausal age may be simultaneously taking other drugs for various indications. Our study shows that the metabolism of a major active compound of MF101 will most likely not adversely interact with other drugs. It also results in the production of an even more potent estrogen receptor beta agonist potentially enhancing the clinical efficacy. The results of this study mark a critical mileston
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