GTx, Inc., Presents Preclinical Data on Its SARMS Program at the 85th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (June 23, 2003)

Memphis, Tenn., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- GTx, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of therapeutic products related to men's health, today provided a summary of pre-clinical data on its SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator) program presented at the 85th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society. The Company presented a total of four poster presentations, one of which was chosen by ENDO to be highlighted in a press release to the media at the meeting held in Philadelphia (June 19 - 22). The highlighted abstract was entitled, "Pharmacologic Effects of a Novel Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM), Flutamide and Finasteride in Intact Male Rats." The data presented summarized the Company's evaluation of structure-activity relationships for androgen receptor binding and activation as well as pharmacologic effects and tissue selectivity of novel SARMs developed by GTx. Results show that SARMs have potential therapeutic applications in osteoporosis, muscle-wasting, and benign prostatic hypertrophy. "At GTx, we believe that the ability to selectively target and modulate the androgen receptor will allow the development of many new drugs that are critical for men's health," commented Mitchell Steiner, Vice Chairman and CEO of GTx. "Although SARMs as a class of drugs are not currently available for clinical use, our extensive experience in the design, synthesis and pre-clinical characterization has allowed us to create over 250 first-in-class SARMs for commercialization. Furthermore, since testosterone plays an important role in women, our proprietary program will allow GTx to innovate female health products as well."

SARMs
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, or SARMs, bind to the receptor for testosterone, a hormone essential for the development and maintenance of the male reproductive system and secondary male sex characteristics. Aging men experience a gradual decrease in circulating testosterone, which can result in a myriad of conditions including osteoporosis, loss of body mass, depression, erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual interest. SARMs constitute a novel class of compounds that have both agonist and antagonist activities on the androgen receptor, depending on the specific targeted tissues. Since SARMs are tissue selective, they have the potential to maintain beneficial effects while avoiding negative side effects and toxicities related to the current testosterone replacement therapies. SARMs with agonist activity in target tissues that elicit positive effects on bone, muscle and libido while avoiding stimulatory effects in the prostate are likely to fulfill important unmet needs for a growing aging population. Below is the summary list of SARMs abstracts presented at the 2003 ENDO annual meeting:

Title: Pharmacologic Effects of a Novel Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM), Flutamide and Finasteride in Intact Male Rats
Highlighted Presentation -- Abstract# P3-221

Title: In Vitro Characterization of Novel Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs)
Abstract# P1-87

Title: In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacologic Activity of 4-halo Substituted SARMs
Abstract# P3-198

Title: Androgen Receptor Mediated Transcriptional Activation of SARMs is Enhanced by Nuclear Receptor Coactivators
Abstract# P2-95

About GTx
Founded in 1997, GTx is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of therapeutic products related to men's health. The Company's drug discovery and development programs are focused on small molecules (SERMs and SARMs) that selectively target nuclear hormone receptors for estrogens and androgens, respectively. These nuclear hormone receptors are among the best-understood receptor systems, and pharmaceuticals have been developed to either stimulate or block these receptors for over 50 years. GTx is developing newer generations of small molecules that can selectively stimulate or block these proven pathways in an organ-selective manner. The ability to control well-established nuclear hormone receptor signaling in a tissue-specific way allows GTx to design small-molecule drugs with greater precision and efficiency for large areas of unmet medical needs.

SOURCE GTx, Inc.