Amura announces further positive results in a human breast cancer model

Cambridge, U.K. - 7th April 2009

Amura Therapeutics Limited ("Amura") today announced that AM-3701, a lead compound from its cathepsin K (Cat K) inhibitor programme, significantly reduced the formation of secondary tumours and bone lesions in a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer.  The study was performed by Pharmatest Inc (www.pharmatest.fi) who provide world leading services in the field of metastatic disease, a therapeutic area that is currently poorly met.

The study was designed to evaluate the effect of orally administered AM-3701 on tumour development, bone quality and cachexia, in mice inoculated with human metastatic breast cancer cells.  Results showed that compound administration was accompanied by a substantial reduction in total tumour burden, a marked reduction in serum collagen markers of bone turnover and a significant decrease in the size and number of bone lesions, compared to the control group.  Concomitant assessment of body weight, hydration state and spinal curvature (cachexia index) demonstrated that animals treated with AM-3701 had an overall improved state of well being in comparison to untreated control animals.  In the case of breast cancer metastasis, seventy percent of cancer cells migrate to the bone and this high hurdle model reflects this process and mimics the osteolytic lesions, increased bone turnover and severe pain seen in patients suffering from the disease.  The success in this model provides an excellent indication of the viability of AM-3701 as a first-in class therapeutic opportunity for bone metastasis resulting from metastatic cancers.

This is the second successful bone metastasis model completed by Amura for its Cat K programme and clearly demonstrates the involvement of Cat K in tumour invasion and bone degradation, arising from metastatic cancer.  This animal efficacy data forms part of a comprehensive pre-clinical package for Amura's lead Cat K inhibitors, which combines pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamc data, selectivity and safety assessments, with a fully scalable synthetic route adn confirms that these superior molecules possess the necessary attributes for advance into the clinic.

The Amura compounds were derived from its proprietary AMcore™ scaffold, which provides a turnkey solution for inhibitor design against cysteine peptidases of the CAC1 family.  Cysteine peptidases are involved in several diseases and the AMcore™ scaffold provides a powerful platform for discovery of drugs with potential utility against a range of commercially attractive therapeutic targets.

Amura intends to out-license its inhibitor programmes for clinical development and the lead molecule from this study and a first rate back-up molecule are now available for partnering.

Contact:

Dr Martin Quibell, Amura Thearpeutics Limited

+44 (0)1223 839797, martin.quibell@amura.co.uk