BALTIMORE, July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Guilford Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(Nasdaq: GLFD) today announced that the Company has been issued U.S. Patent
No. 5,786,378 "Heterocyclic Thioesters" from the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office. The patent relates to the composition and uses of a novel class of
compounds that promote nerve growth and repair for the treatment of
neurodegenerative disorders.
With this issuance, Guilford now owns or has exclusive rights to a total
of four issued U.S. patents relating to neuroimmunophilin ligands and their
neurotrophic or other neurological uses. The other issued patents are: U.S.
Patent No. 5,614,547 "Small Molecule Inhibitors of Rotamase Enzyme
Activity";
U.S. Patent No. 5,696,135 "Inhibitors of Rotamase Enzyme Activity"; and U.S.
Patent No. 5,721,256 "Method of Using Neurotrophic Sulfonamide Compounds."
Guilford scientists have pioneered the development of neuroimmunophilin
ligands for neurological applications. These patents relate to compounds
which are orally-active small molecules that cross the blood-brain-barrier
and
induce regeneration and protection of neuronal cells. Guilford's compounds
have demonstrated activity in a number of animal models of Parkinson's
disease
and other acute and chronic neurological diseases and conditions. Results
from some of these studies have been published in The Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, Nature Medicine, and presented at the 1997
meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
In August, 1997, Guilford entered into a broad collaboration with Amgen
Inc. to develop and commercialize certain Guilford neuroimmunophilin ligands
for up to ten target indications, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer=s
disease, stroke, peripheral neuropathies, traumatic brain injuries,
traumatic
spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, and three undisclosed non-
neurological indications. Amgen selected a lead compound during the second
quarter of 1998, and is working to complete the preclinical tests necessary
to
commence clinical trials. This lead compound is a second generation ligand
with improved characteristics compared with first-generation prototype
agents.
"Guilford and our collaborators made many of the initial discoveries in
the field of neuroimmunophilin ligands and their neurotrophic and other
neurological uses, and we continue to vigorously and aggressively build on
our
basic intellectual property estate. To date, we have filed approximately 50
U.S. patent applications in the area, as well as several hundred
international
filings. These filings relate to approximately ten distinct chemical series
of
compounds, and encompass both proprietary compositions of matter synthesized
at Guilford, as well as the neurological uses of various classes of
compounds
in the patent and scientific literature. However, even more important than
building this body of proprietary rights is the actual development of
clinically useful drugs. We are working with our partner, Amgen, to achieve
this goal as quickly as possible," said Dr. Craig Smith, Guilford's
President
& C.E.O.
Guilford Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in
the development of polymer-based therapeutics for cancer, and novel products
for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases, including
Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, severe head trauma, spinal
cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies, and cocaine
addiction.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risk
and uncertainties, including those described in the section entitled "Risk
Factors" contained in the Company's Annual Report on form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1997 on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
that could cause the Company's actual results and experience to differ
materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these
forward-looking statements. In particular, there can be no assurance that
the
Company and its collaborator will be able to successfully move preclinical
candidates into the clinic, and ultimately develop product candidates into
safe and effective FDA-cleared drugs. While the Company has filed numerous
patent applications claiming neuroimmunophilin ligands for neurotrophic and
other applications in the U.S. and abroad, the patentability, scope,
validity,
priority, enforceability, and non-infringement of claims made in such
applications cannot be assured.