Array BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) and AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) today
announced plans for two additional randomized Phase 2 trials for AZD6244
(ARRY-886). The trials, which will begin during the second half of 2008,
will test AZD6244 in combination with a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic
agent; one trial will be in melanoma patients and the other in non small
cell lung cancer patients. These plans are based upon AZD6244’s
activity as a single agent in previous monotherapy Phase 2 trials and on
data from multiple preclinical studies. The data from these earlier
clinical trials will be presented at the forthcoming American Society of
Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
“We believe that AZD6244 holds promise for
cancer patients and we look forward to the initiation of these
additional Phase 2 trials,” said John Yates,
M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Array BioPharma. “We’re
pleased to be working with AstraZeneca’s
experienced oncology team and are excited about their strong commitment
to bringing this novel treatment to people with cancer.”
About AZD6244 (ARRY-886)
AstraZeneca acquired exclusive worldwide rights to AZD6244 and certain
second-generation compounds for all oncology indications in December
2003. Array was responsible for filing the IND and conducting the Phase
1 clinical testing of AZD6244. AstraZeneca is responsible for all other
aspects of clinical development and commercialization. Array retains the
rights to all therapeutic indications outside of oncology for compounds
not selected by AstraZeneca as part of the collaboration.
AZD6244 is an anti-cancer drug in Phase 2 development in a range of
tumors. It is a small molecule inhibitor that targets a key position in
the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signalling pathway. This pathway is implicated in
the development and progression of cancers.
About Array BioPharma
Array BioPharma Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the
discovery, development and commercialization of targeted small molecule
drugs to treat patients afflicted with cancer, inflammatory diseases and
pain. Our proprietary drug development pipeline includes clinical
candidates that are designed to regulate therapeutically important
target proteins and are aimed at large market opportunities. In
addition, leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies collaborate
with Array to discover and develop drug candidates across a broad range
of therapeutic areas. For more information on Array, please go to www.arraybiopharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
including statements about our future plans for advancing certain of our
proprietary drug programs, the potential to earn future milestone
payments, license fees or royalty revenue, the expected progress and
success of our internal proprietary drug discovery activities and the
development activities of our collaborators, and the plans of our
collaborators to further develop drugs we have out-licensed or on which
we are collaborating. These statements involve significant risks and
uncertainties, including those discussed in our annual report filed on
form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2007, and in other reports filed
by Array with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Because these
statements reflect our current expectations concerning future events,
our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in
these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. These
factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to fund
and successfully progress internal research efforts and to create
effective, commercially viable drugs, our ability to achieve and
maintain profitability, the extent to which the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries are willing to in-license drug candidates for
their product pipelines and to collaborate with and fund third parties
on their drug discovery activities, our ability to out-license our
proprietary candidates on favorable terms, risks associated with our
dependence on our collaborators for the clinical development and
commercialization of our out-licensed drug candidates, the ability of
our collaborators and of Array to meet objectives, including clinical
trials, tied to milestones and royalties, and our ability to attract and
retain experienced scientists and management. We are providing this
information as of May 15, 2008. We undertake no duty to update any
forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of events or
circumstances after the date of such statements or of anticipated or
unanticipated events that alter any assumptions underlying such
statements.
