Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019 - 15 April 1997.
PNT is a multipurpose protecting group which enables assembly of the nucleic acid building blocks of synthetic DNA. The use of PNT technology is expected to enable Hybridon to synthesize DNA with far greater speed and flexibility. Additionally, novel DNA analogues that are more difficult to synthesize can now be made for study as antisense agents.
"This is a key patent for making novel mixed backbone DNA compounds which we believe are the future for antisense therapeutics," said E. Andrews Grinstead, III, Chairman and CEO of Hybridon. "We expect PNT technology to open a wide vista of oligonucleotide-based applications in both therapeutics and diagnostics."
Hybridon expects that the use of PNT technology will make it possible to synthesize oligonucleotide conjugates, i.e. oligonucleotides that are tagged to other molecules. For example, the mild deprotection conditions made possible with PNT allow for oligonucleotides to be attached to tissue-specific carriers for targeted delivery.
Certain attributes of PNT make it particularly attractive for the large- scale synthesis which is done at Hybridon's Specialty Products Division. Hybridon believes that PNT technology will optimize the rapid synthesis, at both small and large-scale, of first generation (phosphorothioate) oligonucleotides and advanced antisense chemistries. PNT allows for the substitution of milder reagents for harsh chemicals, such as ammonium hydroxide, which are expected to make the manufacturing process more efficient and environmentally friendly.
In addition, Hybridon plans to utilize PNT technology to make support- bound oligonucleotides, which are useful in oligonucleotide-based affinity columns and in combinatorial applications. While the majority of the PNT applications have been in solid phase synthesis, the technology is applicable to solution phase synthesis as well.
The co-inventors of the patent are Dr. Sudhir Agrawal, Chief Scientific Officer of Hybridon, Dr. R.P. Iyer, Associate Director, Hybridon Research Scientists Dr. Dong Yu and Dr. Ivan Habus, and Dr. Theresa Devlin.
Hybridon, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a leader in the discovery and development of genetic drugs for the treatment of important diseases. The Company has also launched a contract manufacturing division, Hybridon Specialty Products. Hybridon has three antisense drugs in human clinical trials : GEM(R)91, for the treatment of HIV -1 infection and AIDS, is in a confirmatory Phase II trial in advanced AIDS patients ; GEM(R)132, an advanced chemistry compound to treat systemic CMV (cytomegalovirus ) infection, is in Phase II clinical trials in Europe and the US; and GEM(R)132 to treat CMV retinitis in AIDS patients , is in Phase I/II clinical trials in the US and Europe. Antisense technology involves the use of synthetic segments of DNA and RNA to stop the production of disease-associated proteins by interacting at the genetic level with target strands of messenger RNA.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "expects", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth under the caption "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. As more fully described in such "important factors" discussion in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, please note that there can be no assurance that the claims allowed under any issued patent or allowed patent application of the Company, including the issued patent referred to above, will be sufficiently broad to protect the Company's technology, that any patents issued to the Company will be sustained if challenged in court proceedings or otherwise or that third parties will not be able to develop products or processes that do not infringe any valid patents held by the Company. Please also note that the Company has not yet developed some of the applications of PNT technology contemplated above and there can be no assurance that such PNT technology will enable the Company to develop such applications, all of the Company's potential products are at an early stage of development, neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any other company has successfully completed human clinical trials of a product based on antisense technology, and there can be no assurance that the Company will receive regulatory approvals to commence or continue clinical trials of product candidates or to market any products.
CONTACT: Robin Hogen, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs of Hybridon, 617-528-7504/
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