NEW YORK, March 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synergy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:SGYP), a developer of new drugs to treat gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and diseases, today announced that a poster presentation highlighting pre-clinical data of the potential use of the Company's guanylate cyclase-C agonists to treat ulcerative colitis and to delay its progression into colon cancer will be presented at the upcoming AACR Annual Meeting 2012 to be held from March 31, 2012 to April 4, 2012 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, IL. The reported work was jointly accomplished by scientists from Synergy and from Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia and is funded through a grant from the National Cancer Institute to Dr. Kunwar Shailubhai, Chief Scientific Officer of Synergy Pharmaceuticals.
The Abstract (# 1636) entitled "Enhancement of cyclic GMP production by guanylate cyclase-C agonists delays progression of colitis into colon cancer though down regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines" will be presented on Monday, April 2, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM in McCormick Place West (Hall F) in poster section 22, poster board number 26.
"In addition to developing plecanatide for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) and constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C), our research efforts are focused on moving our second generation guanylate cyclase agonist, SP-333, into the clinic this year as an oral treatment for ulcerative colitis," said Dr. Kunwar Shailubhai, Chief Scientific Officer of Synergy Pharmaceuticals. "We believe that GC-C agonists have potential to be used as a chronic therapy to treat ulcerative colitis and to delay its potential progression into colon cancer. This is an innovative approach for management of GI inflammatory bowel diseases."
"These findings represent a significant breakthrough in the clinical care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease who are at an increased risk of developing colon cancer," according to Dr. Margie Clapper, Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center and a Co-investigator on this project. "Intervention with GC-C agonists early in the disease process is expected to block the formation of colon tumors as well as circumvent the need for hundreds of endoscopic biopsies and, in some cases, major surgery."
About Synergy Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Synergy is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new drugs to treat gastrointestinal disorders and diseases. Synergy's lead proprietary drug candidate plecanatide is a synthetic analog of the human gastrointestinal hormone uroguanylin, and functions by activating the guanylate cyclase C receptor on epithelial cells of the GI tract. The company completed a Phase I study of plecanatide in healthy volunteers and a Phase IIa clinical trial in CIC patients. In October, 2011, Synergy initiated dosing of patients in a major Phase II/III clinical trial of plecanatide to treat CIC. Plecanatide is also being developed to treat constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, with the first trial in IBS-C patients planned for 2012. Synergy's second GC-C agonist SP-333 is currently in pre-clinical development to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. More information is available at http://www.synergypharma.com.
About Fox Chase Cancer Center
Fox Chase Cancer Center is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation's first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center's nursing program has received the Magnet status for excellence three consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. For more information, visit Fox Chase's Web site at www.foxchase.org or call 1-888-FOX CHASE or (1-888-369-2427).
Disclosure Notice
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimated" and "intend," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Synergy's current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, substantial competition; our ability to continue as a going concern; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; limited sales and marketing efforts and dependence upon third parties; and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that future clinical trials discussed in this press release will be completed or successful or that any product will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful. Synergy does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in Synergy's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.