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BioLineRx Expands Drug Pipeline With Two Innovative Pre-Clinical Candidates for Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer

Posted on: Monday, 20 June 2005, 09:00 CDT

BioLineRx Ltd., Israel's leading specialized drug development company, today announced that it has signed in-license agreements to develop and commercialize two new therapeutic candidates. The two compounds are designated BL-2030, a soluble receptor that targets cancer cells that will be developed first for the treatment of prostate cancer, and BL-2040, a small molecule for the treatment of hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

The worldwide exclusive license for the development of BL-2030 was signed with BioRap Technologies, a private company established to manage the commercialization of intellectual property developed by members of the Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences at the Technion. The worldwide exclusive license for the development of BL-2040 was signed with Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer company of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

BioLineRx plans to develop these projects through its pre-clinical development unit, BioLine Innovations Jerusalem, and to submit the projects for funding by the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist under the National Biotech Grant that BioLineRx received in November of last year.

"We are excited to start working on these two candidates that have the potential to impact millions of lives by delivering new and improved treatments for multiple types of cancer and for metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Morris C. Laster, CEO of BioLineRx. "Both the Rappaport Institute and the Weizmann Institute are leading research institutes and we are pleased to be partnering with them for the development of these innovative drugs."

BL-2040

BL-2040, developed by a group of researchers headed by Prof. David Mirelman of the Weizmann Institute, is a novel approach to treating metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, defined as the constellation of frequently co-occurring disorders of insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. BL-2040 is a novel small molecule that can be administered orally. In animal models of metabolic syndrome, treatment with BL-2040 prevents weight gain and reduces systolic blood pressure after two weeks of treatment. The molecule also lowers the insulin resistance that is characteristic of these animal models.

The co-occurrence of hypertension and obesity is alarmingly common in the general population, affecting some 130 million people in the United States alone. The 2003 market for drugs treating metabolic syndrome in the US, Europe, and Japan was $9.7 billion, and the sales for 2013 are predicted to exceed $13 billion.

BL-2030

Developed by Prof. Nathan Karin, a faculty member in the Department of Immunology of the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion and a member of the Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences. BL-2030 is a soluble receptor that targets multiple types of cancer. The compound will initially be developed to treat prostate cancer. BL-2030's approach is unique in that the soluble receptor can block the effects of cytokines that have been implicated in the growth and progression of tumors. In vitro studies demonstrate specific binding while in vivo studies in hormone refractory prostate cancer model shows high efficacy of the compound with no toxic effects.

"BioRap is building a strong pipeline of potential drugs for cancer and inflammatory diseases," added David Promof, CEO of BioRap. "We have no doubt that the skilled team at BioLineRx will further develop our cancer drug candidate based on our proprietary Vaccinogen platform technology and bring it successfully to the market."

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. In the United States and Europe, prostate cancer accounts for one in three new cancer diagnoses and for one in 10 cancer deaths. The worldwide market for medical therapies of prostate cancer is estimated at between $2 and $5 billion annually, beyond the surgical and radiological costs of treatment.

About BioLineRx, Ltd.

Founded in 2003 by leaders in the Israeli life-sciences sector, BioLineRx is building a robust pipeline of promising therapeutics for unmet medical needs. BioLineRx is focused on advancing projects from early stage discovery and lead generation to advanced clinical trials, regulatory approval, and marketing. Partnering with researchers, universities and biotech companies to further the commercialization of promising compounds, BioLineRx enriches the pipeline of large pharmaceutical companies seeking their next blockbuster drugs. For more information, please visit www.biolinerx.com.

About BioRap

BioRap Technologies Ltd. was established in 2001 as a private company fully owned by the Rappaport Family Institute, and is located within its facilities. The Rappaport Institute is affiliated with the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. BioRap Technologies Ltd. was established to manage the commercialization of intellectual property developed by Institute members. The company provides infrastructure and applied research facility support. It assists in business development, patenting, legal issues, strategic alliance development and identification of investors, establishment of startups, administration, and other areas associated with commercialization of medical technologies. For more information, please visit http://www.bio-rap.com.

About Yeda

Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. is the technology transfer company of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel's leading center of research and graduate education. The Institute's activities range across the spectrum of contemporary science. Yeda holds an exclusive agreement with the Institute for the marketing and commercialization of new developments emerging from the Institute's laboratories. For more information, please visit http://yeda.weizmann.ac.il/ .

Source: Business Wire

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