ComChem Scientific Advisor Publishes First in vivo Efficacy for PI3-Kinase Inhibitor Against Brain Cancer, Uncovers Major Cell Signal Intercept Switch.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 2003

Results published in the July 1st, 2003 issue of Cancer

Research also show evidence that PTEN controls p53 and blocks

tumor-induced angiogenesis 

ComChem announced today that Cancer Research published the results of pre-clinical research performed in the lab of Dr. Donald L. Durden, MD, PhD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). The article describes the scientific and clinical rationale identifying PTEN and PI3-Kinase (PI3k) as a non-redundant intercept cell signaling switch for cell survival, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. The published results support the concept that controlling PTEN and PI3k with targeted small molecule drugs could provide significant advantages over several of today's therapies for cancer and multiple other disorders.

The Cancer Research article presents the first pre-clinical evidence for the in vivo efficacy using a small molecule PI3k inhibitor in the treatment of malignant gliomas in several animal models. Furthermore, the research presented evidence that both PTEN and PI3k inhibitors regulate p53 function and display in vivo antiangiogenic and antitumor activity. The findings demonstrate that the balance between PTEN and PI3k serves as a non-redundant control switch. These results support the ComChem Interceptor product development activities aimed at producing drugs capable of selectively controlling this switch which is expected to represent a significant improvement in treating cancer.

New class of drugs, improving current therapies' shortcomings - ComChem's approach:

Many of the current therapies, including Genentech's Avastin and ImClone's Erbitux, have only been able to interfere with one of the many redundant, and often non-critical, cellular signals, and thus have only represented marginal improvements to current therapies. ComChem's approach represents a new class of drugs aimed at dramatically improving theses current therapies by targeting the major non-redundant control point uncovered in Dr. Durden's research.

"This research, combined with the research and collaboration of several of my cell signaling colleagues, has not only uncovered the control signaling mechanism integral for cell survival, but also validates that we can manage these specific signals with small molecule drugs," says Dr. Durden. "Our early drug candidates at ComChem are showing strong results, and I look forward to advancing our pre-clinical studies into human clinical trials."

Commercialization Alliance - ComChem, ARTI, and IUSM:

Dr. Durden's Cancer Research publication addresses technologies that are part of a broad patent portfolio for which ComChem has obtained exclusive worldwide license from the technology transfer organization of Indiana University, the Advanced Research Technology Institute (ARTI). The agreement outlines ComChem's commitment to an alliance with IUSM and ARTI by utilizing ComChem's medicinal chemistry expertise and experience in developing pharmaceuticals to the human clinical trial stages for commercializing cancer related biological discoveries.

About ComChem

ComChem is an Indianapolis based drug discovery and development company designing small molecule drugs to inhibit new and critical cell signal pathways for cancer therapies. The company's current drug programs exploit a breakthrough discovery in cell signaling - the discovery of the main intercept-signals (master control switch) for cell survival and cell death. ComChem's strategy is to apply the company's drug development expertise to new biological discoveries in order to turn university discoveries into commercial pharmaceutical realities. Focusing first on Oncology disorders, ComChem has established partnerships with three top universities. An example is ComChem's oncology drug development partnership with IUSM and ARTI.

About ARTI

The Advanced Research & Technology Institute is dedicated to building Indiana's future with strategic commercialization of research and technology through Indiana University and business/industry collaboration. ARTI's mission is to enhance Indiana's business competitiveness through technology innovation. With two offices located in Indianapolis and Bloomington, and eight Indiana University campuses throughout the state, ARTI provides access to Indiana University's technology expertise, expands Indiana's R&D and technology infrastructure and creates collaborative environments to advance Indiana's technology future.