RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 2003--Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ: INSM) today announced that two abstracts demonstrating the efficacy of its drug candidate rhIGFBP-3 in models of human breast cancer have been accepted for presentation at upcoming cancer meetings.
The abstract titled, "IGFBP-3 enhances sensitivity to radiation therapy in vitro and inhibits tumor formation in vivo in a model of human breast cancer" will be presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, to be held at the Hynes Center, Boston, Massachusetts, November 17-21.
The abstract titled, "Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (rhIGFBP-3) as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of Herceptin®-resistant breast cancer" will be presented at The 26th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), to be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas, December 3 - 6.
These studies were conducted in the laboratories of Dr. Michael Pollak and Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones, both of McGill University.
About rhIGFBP-3:
Insmed's proprietary product, rhIGFBP-3, is a protein that is normally found in the human bloodstream. It has been shown to induce cancer cell death in a variety of experimental systems. Several studies have demonstrated that cancer risk increases with decreasing levels of circulating IGFBP-3. In addition, recent independent studies have demonstrated that IGFBP-3 can induce cell cycle arrest and enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. Insmed is currently engaged in an active preclinical program with leading clinical oncologists and world experts in the field of IGFBP-3 research to evaluate the efficacy of rhIGFBP-3 as a therapeutic agent and to define the optimal clinical protocol with which to translate these promising observations into human clinical trials.
Targeting Cancer:
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, the number of annual worldwide cancer-related deaths is expected to reach 10 million. Although there are several drugs available to treat cancer, the use of most of these drugs produces significant side effects and decreases the quality of life of the patient. The identification of the signaling pathways that regulate tumor growth has led to novel strategies for the treatment of cancer, and new agents that target these signaling pathways are emerging as promising new treatments. Herceptin®, approved by the FDA in 1998, is a prime example of this novel class of anti-cancer agents, which hopes to garner a portion of the $21 billion oncology market.
About Insmed Incorporated:
Insmed is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of drug candidates for the treatment of metabolic diseases and endocrine disorders with unmet medical needs. For more information, please visit www.insmed.com.
Statements included within this press release, which are not historical in nature, may constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements regarding expected financial position, results of operations, cash flows, dividends, financing plans, business strategies, operating efficiencies or synergies, budgets, capital and other expenditures, competitive positions, growth opportunities for existing or proposed products or services, plans and objectives of management, demand for new pharmaceutical products, market trends in the pharmaceutical business, inflation and various economic and business trends. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including risks that product candidates may fail in the clinic or may not be successfully marketed, the company may lack financial resources to complete development of product candidates, competing products may be more successful, demand for new pharmaceutical products may decrease, the biopharmaceutical industry may experience negative market trends and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of these and other risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those described in this press release.
CONTACT: Insmed Incorporated
Baxter Phillips, III, Investor Relations, 804-565-3041
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