( tantly only one DVT has been seen to da...)Gentium's Defibrotide Seen as Active in Multiple Myeloma,Health

In a preclinical study presented by Dr. Cinara Echart, Gentium's Manager of Molecular Biology, at the same meeting, Defibrotide demonstrated the ability to significantly downregulate heparanase gene expression and activity in myeloma cell lines in a dose dependent manner (p less than 0.01). In addition, Defibrotide decreases the myeloma cell invasion through the Matrigel matrix in vitro by 50%. Elevated heparanase expression in humans has been correlated with advanced progression and metastasis of many tumor types, including myeloma. Heparanase acts as a key mechanism for breakdown of extracellular matrix to facilitate tumor invasion and metastasis.

Dr. Antonio Palumbo commented, "The combination of MPTD is promising both in terms of activity and tolerability with the low rate of DVT being especially interesting. Moreover, the preclinical studies with Defibrotide are intriguing, suggesting a wider role for this drug as an orally biovavailable agent in combination with chemotherapy as a potential treatment for multiple myeloma."

About Gentium

Gentium, S.p.A., located in Como, Italy, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and manufacture of drugs to treat and prevent a variety of vascular diseases and conditions related to cancer and cancer treatments. Defibrotide, the Company's lead product candidate, is an investigational drug that has been granted a Fast Track Designation by the U.S. FDA to treat Severe VOD in recipients of stem cell transplants, Orphan Drug status by the U.S. FDA to treat and prevent VOD and Orphan Medicinal Product Designation by the European Commission to treat and prevent VOD.

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