Alteon's Alagebrium Demonstrates Promising Effects on Cardiovascular System in Phase 2a Endothelial Function Study

Alteon's Alagebrium Demonstrates Promising Effects on
Cardiovascular System in Phase 2a Endothelial Function Study
Data Presented at Annual Scientific Meetings of The American Geriatrics Society
and The Society of Geriatric Cardiology 


PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 23  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alteon Inc. (AMEX:ALT)
announced today that positive data from the initial group of patients in a
Phase 2a study on endothelial function and vascular compliance were presented
recently at two scientific forums:  The American Geriatrics Society 2005 Annual
Scientific Meeting and the 11th Annual Scientific Session of The Society of
Geriatric Cardiology.  The study, conducted at Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine (JHU), demonstrated that the company's investigational drug,
alagebrium, increases arterial elasticity through the breaking of A.G.E.
crosslinks and improves endothelial function.  As central arterial stiffening
and endothelial dysfunction are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease,
the authors conclude that these effects may favorably modify cardiovascular
risk in older hypertensive subjects.

The study, presented under the titles, "Treatment with Alagebrium, a Collagen
Glycation Crosslink Breaker, Reduces Carotid Pressure Augmentation in Older
Subjects with Isolated Systolic Hypertension," and "The Effect of Vascular
Stiffness on Endothelial Dysfunction," was conducted under grants from the
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the Society of Geriatric
Cardiology/Association of Subspecialty Professors by a JHU research team led by
Susan Zieman, M.D. and David Kass, M.D.  Male or female patients 50 years of
age or greater (n=13), with systolic hypertension (systolic blood pressure >
140 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure < / = 95 mm Hg) received 2 weeks of
placebo run-in dosing followed by 210 mg of alagebrium twice daily for 8 weeks.
 The primary purpose of the trial was to determine whether increasing arterial
elasticity by breaking A.G.E. crosslinks improves endothelial function as
assessed by evaluating vessel distensibility and flow-mediated dilation, a
dynamic test of endothelial cell function. Results from the pilot study showed
that, when compared with baseline, carotid augmentation index, a measure of
vascular stiffness, decreased by 37.3% and augmented pressure declined 41%
(p