Detailed Data on Alteon's Hypertension/Heart Failure Drug Candidate Alagebrium to Be Presented at The American Society of Hypert
27 April 2004 - 4:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Detailed Data on Alteon's Hypertension/Heart Failure Drug Candidate
Alagebrium to Be Presented at The American Society of Hypertension
Meeting PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alteon
Inc. announced today that an abstract providing detailed clinical
data from the Phase 2b SAPPHIRE/SILVER trial of its lead drug
candidate alagebrium chloride (formerly ALT-711) has been accepted
for presentation at the American Society of Hypertension (ASH)
Nineteenth Annual Scientific Meeting being held in New York City,
May 18-22. Alagebrium is the first in a new class of drugs, called
A.G.E. Crosslink Breakers, which restore flexibility and function
to organs such as the heart, blood vessels and other tissues that
have stiffened over time. The data from SAPPHIRE/SILVER and a prior
clinical trial indicate that alagebrium has the ability to safely
lower systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure in aging patients,
especially in a difficult-to-treat hypertensive patient population.
Notably, alagebrium results were over and above standard
hypertension treatment, and data thus far point to a mechanism of
action unlike any existing antihypertensive agent. A second
abstract, which highlights the cardiovascular and renal effects of
alagebrium in a preclinical study of aged hypertensive rats, also
has been accepted for presentation at ASH. "We are pleased to have
more specific data on alagebrium released at this prestigious
forum," said Kenneth I. Moch, President and Chief Executive
Officer. "The scientific findings that are discussed in the
SAPPHIRE/ SILVER abstract were pivotal in the design of our ongoing
SPECTRA trial of alagebrium in uncontrolled systolic hypertension."
A.G.E. Crosslink Breakers and Alagebrium Advanced Glycation
End-products (A.G.E.s) are permanent glucose structures that form
when glucose binds to the surface of proteins. Many of these
proteins, including structural proteins such as collagen and
elastin, play an integral role in the maintenance of cardiovascular
elasticity function and vascular wall integrity. This process can
impair the normal function of organs that depend on flexibility for
normal function, such as blood vessels and cardiac muscle.
Alagebrium is the first in the A.G.E. Crosslink Breaker class that
has been shown to reverse or "break" A.G.E. crosslinks, thereby
restoring more normal function to organs and tissues that have lost
flexibility. Pharmacologic intervention with alagebrium directly
targets the biochemical pathway leading to the stiffness of the
cardiovascular system. Its mechanism of action is new and novel,
and is unrelated to that of any pharmaceutical agent either
currently prescribed or in clinical development. Importantly,
alagebrium does not disrupt the natural enzymatic glycation sites
or peptide bonds that are responsible for maintaining the normal
integrity of the collagen chain. Thus, normal structure and
function is preserved while abnormal crosslinking is reduced. About
Alteon Alteon is developing several new classes of drugs that
reverse or slow down diseases of aging and complications of
diabetes. These compounds have an impact on a fundamental
pathological process caused by protein-glucose complexes called
Advanced Glycation End-products (A.G.E.s). The formation and
crosslinking of A.G.E.s lead to a loss of flexibility and function
in body tissues, organs and vessels and have been shown to be a
causative factor in many age-related diseases and diabetic
complications. Alteon has created a library of novel classes of
compounds targeting the A.G.E. Pathway. These include A.G.E.
Crosslink Breakers, A.G.E. Formation Inhibitors and Glucose
Lowering Agents. Alteon's lead compound alagebrium chloride
(formerly ALT- 711), the only A.G.E. Crosslink Breaker in advanced
human testing, has demonstrated safety and efficacy in several
Phase 2 trials and is actively being developed for systolic
hypertension and heart failure. Ongoing clinical trials include
SPECTRA (Systolic Pressure Efficacy and Safety Trial of Alagebrium)
and PEDESTAL (Patients with Impaired Ejection Fraction and
Diastolic Dysfunction: Efficacy and Safety Trial of ALagebrium).
For more information on Alteon, visit the company's website at
http://www.alteon.com/. Any statements contained in this press
release that relate to future plans, events or performance are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties
including, but not limited to, those relating to technology and
product development (including the possibility that early clinical
trial results may not be predictive of results that will be
obtained in large-scale testing or that any clinical trials will
not demonstrate sufficient safety and efficacy to obtain requisite
approvals or will not result in marketable products), regulatory
approval processes, intellectual property rights and litigation,
competitive products, ability to obtain financing, and other risks
identified in Alteon's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The information contained in this press release is
accurate as of the date indicated. Actual results, events or
performance may differ materially. Alteon undertakes no obligation
to publicly release the result of any revision to these
forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events. DATASOURCE: Alteon Inc. CONTACT: Susan M.
Pietropaolo, Director, Corporate Communications & Investor
Relations of Alteon, Inc., +1-201-818-5537, Web site:
http://www.alteon.com/
Copyright