2007.12.06 – Initiation of Clinical Trial of JAK2 Inhibitor

http://www.reuters.com/

TargeGen Announces Planned Initiation of Clinical Trial of JAK2 Inhibitor TG101348…
Thu Dec 6, 2007 1:46pm EST

TargeGen Announces Planned Initiation of Clinical Trial of JAK2 Inhibitor
TG101348 in Myeloproliferative Disease Patients, and Presentations at ASH

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ — TargeGen, Inc. today announced that the
Company’s recently submitted IND for TG101348 is now active and the Company
plans to initiate a multi-center clinical trial of TG101348, an internally
discovered, oral, potent, and highly selective JAK2 inhibitor in January,
2008. Additionally, TargeGen announced that a series of presentations related
to TG101348 will be made at the 2007 ASH Conference (Atlanta, December 8-11,
2007) by Company scientific staff and outside academic collaborators.
(Logo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030430/TARGEGENLOGO)

Scheduled ASH presentations include:

— Catriona Jamieson — Selective Inhibition of JAK2 Driven Erythroid
Differentiation of Polycythemia Vera
— Animesh Pardanani & Ayalew Tefferi — Primary Cell Experiments with
TG101348, A JAK2 Selective Small Molecule Inhibitor, in the Presence of
Myeloproliferative Disorder-Associated JAK2V617F, MPLW515K, or Exon 12
Mutations
— Gerlinde Wernig & Gary Gilliland — Efficacy of TG101348, a Selective
JAK2 Inhibitor, in Treatment of a Murine Model of JAK2V617F-Induced
Polycythemia Vera, Session Type
— Betty Tam — TG101348: A Dual Acting JAK2/FLT3 Small Molecule Kinase
Inhibitor for the Treatment of AML
— John Hood — Prospective Identification of Resistance Mutants to the
JAK2 Inhibitor TG101348

The V617F mutation of JAK2 is implicated in the pathogenesis of certain
myeloproliferative diseases, including polycythemia vera (PV), essential
thrombocytopenia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). In preclinical models
of myeloproliferative diseases, TG101348, administered orally, was shown to
reduce to reduce V617F expressing cell populations in a dose-dependant manner
without adversely impacting normal hematopoeisis. The reduction of
V617F-expressing cell populations correlated with improved survival and
reduced morbidity. There are no currently approved specific therapies for PV,
ET and PMF. These disorders are estimated to affect approximately 200,000
patients in the United States and more than twice that total worldwide.
About TargeGen, Inc.
TargeGen, Inc. is a privately held vascular biology-focused
biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego, CA. TargeGen primarily develops
small molecule kinase inhibitors that target vascular leakage (edema),
vascular proliferation (angiogenesis) and inflammation. Edema, angiogenesis
and inflammation are involved in the pathology of many major human diseases.
TargeGen initiated operations in 2002 and has raised capital from top tier
venture capital sources. Current investors include VantagePoint Venture
Partners, Forward Ventures, Enterprise Partners, Chicago Growth Partners, BB
BIOTECH, Innovis Investments, H&Q Capital Management, Pappas Ventures and
other investors.
SOURCE TargeGen, Inc.

TargeGen, Inc., +1-858-678-0760, fax, +1-858-678-0160, info@targegen.com