Anagen Therapeutics Formed to Develop New Discoveries From U. of Chicago
CHICAGO, Illinois (August 19, 2002) — Anagen Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, has been formed to develop and commercialize important discoveries made at the University of Chicago, including compounds for cholesterol disorders, atherosclerosis, neurodengenerative disease and prostate cancer. The new venture was founded by Dr. Shutsung Liao, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the university's Ben May Institute for Cancer Research.

"The Chicago area is well known for excellence in academic research, and the technology discovered by Dr. Liao and his team shows great promise," said Dr. Liao, founder of Anagen. "Our goal is to aggressively transform these discoveries into valuable medical therapies by conducting the studies necessary to obtain the FDA manufacturing and marketing approvals needed to make them available to the public."

The exclusively licensed compounds include novel agents known as LXR modulators, which have been shown to play an important role in regulating cholesterol. Because LXR modulators act in ways that differ significantly from currently marketed "statins," these compounds represent an entirely new approach to lowering cholesterol — one that could also have a profound effect on the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

"LXR modulators are at the cutting edge of receptor biology, and the potential to develop a new class of compounds is truly exciting," Dr. Liao said. "For example, in addition to their excellent potential in cardiovascular medicine, LXR modulators have promise to treat neurodegenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and damage following stroke or trauma. This is possible because a growing body of data indicates that LXRs in the brain can affect cholesterol release from glial cells, which in turn signals new connections to form among neurons."

Another important University of Chicago discovery under development by Anagen is epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), a highly active natural component in green tea that appears to have wide therapeutic benefits for a variety of hormone-related illnesses, including certain skin diseases and prostate cancer.

Dr. Liao was the first to demonstrate that EGCG can inhibit human prostate cancer growth in animals. Since then, several lines of research indicate that EGCG merits development for advanced prostate cancer.

"EGCG is one of our top priorities and we plan to be very diligent in moving this product into the clinic," Dr. Liao said. "Anagen will internally develop certain products for discrete markets like prostate cancer. In contrast, we plan to seek a partner for our LXR modulators once we complete the early development work and confirm safety and efficacy."

The total U.S. market size for prescription drug products to treat high cholesterol and prostate cancer currently exceeds $10 billion in annual sales. These markets are expected to grow at near double-digit rates for several years.

Dr. Liao, a protégé of Nobel Laureate Dr. Charles Huggins, received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Chicago and has served as professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at its Ben May Institute for Cancer Research since 1972. He has published more than 220 studies and scientific journal articles, and also serves as director of the university's Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research.

Anagen Therapeutics is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

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