New Drug to Treat Multiple Myeloma Bone Disease

Ann Arbor, Mich. Sept. 24, 2007 - Velcura Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing therapies for bone disease, met with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Sept. 20 to clarify details for the early clinical development of VEL-0230, a drug developed to treat bone disease. The focus of the Pre-Investigational New Drug Application (IND) meeting was to obtain feedback from the FDA’s Division of Oncology Drug Products about Velcura’s completed preclinical studies, as well as Velcura’s near-term clinical development plans for VEL-0230. VEL-0230 is a new chemical entity that has dual-acting properties that both stimulates bone formation and inhibits loss. The company, a 2007 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch award winner, plans to initiate clinical trials in 2008 for the use of this drug as a treatment for Multiple Myeloma, a blood cancer associated with profound bone loss.

VEL-0230 is being studied preclinically for the treatment of diseases involving bone mineral disorders such as bone loss related to multiple myeloma, osteoporosis, bone metastases, and rheumatoid arthritis. Given VEL-0230’s promotion of bone formation, inhibition of bone loss and reduction of calcium levels, Velcura has chosen Myeloma as its lead indication, as the bone fragility, bone pain, high calcium levels and eventual kidney involvement present serious medical and quality of life issues to affected patients.

Source: www.velcura.com