Avalon (NASDAQ:AVRX)
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Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVRX), announced today that it has
used AvalonRx®, its biomarker based drug
discovery system, to identify small molecule inhibitors of the
Aurora/Centrosome pathway, and to reveal the protein targeted by these
compounds. Their findings were announced today in a poster presentation
entitled “Identification of Small Molecule
Inhibitors of the Aurora/Centrosome Pathway,”
at the American Association for Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting, in
San Diego, CA.
These inhibitors potently induce death in cancer cells and inhibit the
Polo-Like Kinase 3 (PLK3) protein, a key node in the centrosome pathway.
The Aurora/Centrosome pathway is critical for control of cellular growth
and chromosomal integrity in cancer cells, and is frequently
misregulated in cancer.
“The Aurora/Centrosome pathway is important in
many cancers; therefore, we believe that the identification of these
allosteric inhibitors of the PLK3 protein is a significant advancement
in the development of potential therapeutics for cancer,”
said Dr. Stephen Horrigan, Avalon’s Vice
President of Research.
Compounds in Avalon's lead small molecule series have broad activity in
cell lines from multiple cancers, while acting as selective allosteric
inhibitors of the PLK3 protein. PLK3 has been recognized as a key
regulator of cancer cell function whose activation has been implicated
in multiple cancer types, including breast, lung and stomach.
About Avalon Pharmaceuticals
Avalon is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery,
development and commercialization of first-in-class cancer therapeutics.
Avalon’s lead product candidate, AVN944, an
IMPDH inhibitor, is in Phase II clinical development. Avalon also has
preclinical programs to develop inhibitors of the Beta-catenin and
Aurora/Centrosome pathways, discovery programs for inhibitors of the
Survivin and Myc pathways and partnerships with Merck,
AstraZeneca/MedImmune, ChemDiv, Medarex, and Novartis. AvalonRx®
is the Company’s proprietary platform which is
based on large-scale biomarker identification and monitoring, used to
discover and develop therapeutics for pathways that have historically
been characterized as "undruggable." Avalon is headquartered in
Germantown, MD.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains, in addition to historical information,
certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Such statements reflect the current views of Avalon management and are
based on certain assumptions. Actual results could differ materially
from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors,
risks and uncertainties, including those specified under the “Risk
Factors” section of our 2007 Annual Report on
Form 10-K and updates contained in subsequent filings we make with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.