CombinatoRx Announces the Identification of Synergistic Enhancers of TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis.-- The Company's First Biologic/Small Molecule cHTS[TM] Effort -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- CombinatoRx, Incorporated (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : CRXX), today announced data from its first biologic/small molecule combination High Throughput Screening (cHTS[TM]) effort identifying drug classes that synergistically syn·er·gis·tic adj. 1. Of or relating to synergy: a synergistic effect. 2. Producing or capable of producing synergy: synergistic drugs. 3. enhance the activity of the oncology-relevant cytokine Cytokine Any of a group of soluble proteins that are released by a cell to send messages which are delivered to the same cell (autocrine), an adjacent cell (paracrine), or a distant cell (endocrine). TNF-related apoptosis apoptosis or programmed cell death Mechanism that allows cells to self-destruct when stimulated by the appropriate trigger. It may be initiated when a cell is no longer needed, when a cell becomes a threat to the organism's health, or for other reasons. inducing ligand (TRAIL) to overcome a common mechanism of TRAIL resistance. These data were presented today in a poster entitled "Synergistic Enhancers of TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis: A Quantitative Parallel Comparison of TRAIL-Small Molecule Synergies using cHTS[TM]", Short, et.al, at the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research Wikipedia is not the place for advertisement or self-advertising. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is an organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that focuses on all aspects of cancer research including basic, clinical and translational in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , CA. Utilizing its proprietary cHTS[TM] technology, CombinatoRx conducted an analysis of 122 different TRAIL-small molecule combinations across TRAIL-sensitive and insensitive non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC NSCLC non (or cancer). NSCLC Non-small cell lung cancer, see there ) cell lines. The resulting synergies were then compared to identify a subset of compounds that synergistically enhance TRAIL-mediated apoptosis (cell death). While certain compounds were synergistic, few were capable of overcoming TRAIL resistance. Of the classes studied, certain cytostatic cytostatic /cy·to·stat·ic/ (sit?ah-stat´ik) 1. suppressing the growth and multiplication of cells. 2. an agent that so acts. cy·to·stat·ic adj. 1. agents, DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. cross-linking agents, and topoisomerase inhibitors were found to be particularly efficacious in overcoming TRAIL resistance while maintaining selectivity toward NSCLC cell lines. TRAIL is an extensively studied biologic cytokine known to selectively induce apoptosis (cell death) in a variety of cancer cell lines through the activation of an apoptotic signaling cascade. Although TRAIL is regarded as a potentially useful anti-cancer therapeutic, many tumor cell lines display partial or complete resistance to TRAIL treatment. "As the largest reported parallel comparison of TRAIL-mediated synergies, these data demonstrate the power of cHTS[TM] to quantitatively screen and compare large numbers of biologic/small molecule combinations to select drug combinations with the greatest potential efficacy," commented Curtis Keith, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Research of CombinatoRx. "Our cHTS[TM] technology could prove to be extremely valuable in identifying biologic/small molecule combinations that have the potential to provide therapeutic benefit for severe life threatening diseases such as NSCLC." About cHTS[TM] To discover combinations of molecules that exhibit novel patterns of activity against disease networks, CombinatoRx, Incorporated uses its combination High Throughput Screening (cHTS[TM]) drug discovery platform. Using this proprietary platform, the company systematically searches millions of combinations across a large portfolio of phenotypic phe·no·type n. 1. a. The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, as determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences. b. disease models, identifying patterns of activity against both known and novel targets in a broad range of disease areas. Each combination is evaluated to quantify and visualize its activity at a range of dose ratios. Combinations with synergistic therapeutic effects against disease phenotypes are flagged automatically using a custom-designed informatics backbone, then profiled to further determine their mechanism of action and product suitability. Innovations in computational biology Not to be confused with Biologically-inspired computing. Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field that applies the techniques of computer science, applied mathematics, and statistics to address problems inspired by biology. techniques and software design automate the CombinatoRx process, enabling the company to search large numbers of combinations and rapidly select candidates with desirable patterns of activity. About CombinatoRx CombinatoRx, Incorporated (CRXX) is pioneering the new field of synergistic combination pharmaceuticals and has a broad product portfolio in phase 2 clinical development. Going beyond traditional combinations, CombinatoRx creates product candidates with novel mechanisms of action striking at the biological complexities of human disease. The lead programs in the CombinatoRx portfolio are advancing into later stage clinical trials based on the strength of multiple positive phase 2a results. This portfolio is internally generated from the CombinatoRx proprietary drug discovery technology which provides a renewable and previously untapped source of novel drug candidates. The Company was founded in 2000 and is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts This article is about the city of Cambridge in Massachusetts. For the English university town, see Cambridge, England. For other places, see Cambridge (disambiguation). Cambridge, Massachusetts is a city in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. . To learn more about CombinatoRx please visit www.combinatorx.com. Forward-Looking Statement forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995 concerning CombinatoRx, its drug discovery technology and its potential to identify new therapeutics, its product candidates and their clinical potential, its plans for clinical development of its product candidates and its business plans. These forward-looking statements about future expectations, plans and prospects of CombinatoRx involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including risks related to the unproven nature of the CombinatoRx drug discovery technology, the Company's ability to initiate and successfully complete clinical trials of its product candidates, assumptions regarding the mechanism of action of our product candidates, potential difficulty and delays in obtaining regulatory approval for the sale and marketing of its product candidates, the Company's ability to obtain additional funding for its research and development and those other risks that can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of the CombinatoRx Annual Report Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the other reports that CombinatoRx periodically files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those CombinatoRx contemplated by these forward looking statements. CombinatoRx does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release. (c) 2007 CombinatoRx, Incorporated. All rights reserved. |
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