MEDICINES FOR MALARIA VENTURE AND ANACOR PHARMACEUTICALS ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION TO APPLY BORON CHEMISTRY TECHNOLOGY TO IDENTIFY NEW MEDICINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF MALARIA
Palo Alto, CA and Geneva, Switzerland —April 26, 2010—Anacor Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has entered into a research agreement with not-for-profit Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to explore Anacor's novel boron chemistry platform for developing new therapeutics for the treatment of malaria. Under the agreement, Anacor will be responsible for leading the research effort and MMV will contribute its extensive malaria drug research expertise as well as financial support.
"Anacor is pleased to be working with MMV in an effort to discover and develop promising new therapeutics for malaria," said David Perry, Chief Executive Officer of Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Anacor will continue to pursue these research and development activities in neglected diseases with the world's leading not-for-profit organizations where we believe that our boron chemistry platform and expertise shows promising activity."
"This agreement being announced in conjunction with World Malaria Day 2010 underscores our commitment to seek innovative scientific approaches that will provide the next generation of front line malaria therapeutics," says Dr. Tim Wells, Chief Scientific Officer of MMV. "Malaria kills over 850,000 people annually, with the majority of victims being children under five and pregnant women. There is a critical need for safe and easy to use medications to thwart growing resistance to current drugs in this most vulnerable population. We hope that this collaboration with Anacor will lead us to effective new treatments for this devastating disease."
About Malaria
Malaria is a preventable and treatable infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes that kills almost one million people each year, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is the leading cause of death for children under five.
Malaria is not only a major killer in Africa but a primary cause of death and poverty - undermining development in some of the poorest countries in the world. Though the majority of the cases and the malaria deaths are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, the disease is present in Asia and Latin America.
About Anacor Pharmaceuticals
Anacor is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel small molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform. Anacor has discovered and is developing five clinical compounds, including its three lead programs: AN2690, a topical antifungal for the treatment of onychomycosis; AN2728, a topical anti-inflammatory for the treatment of psoriasis and AN3365, a systemic antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. The Company is developing AN3365 and other systemic antibacterial therapeutics under a research and development agreement with GlaxoSmithKline. For more information visit www.anacor.com.
About Medicines for Malaria Venture
Medicines for Malaria Venture, a not-for-profit public-private partnership, was established as a foundation in Switzerland in1999. It is dedicated to the reduction of the malaria burden in disease-endemic countries with the discovery, development and delivery of new, effective and affordable antimalarial drugs using public private partnerships.
MMV's vision is a world in which these innovative medicines will cure and protect the vulnerable and under-served populations at risk of malaria, and help to ultimately eradicate this terrible disease.
MMV is currently managing the largest portfolio of antimalarial R&D projects ever assembled; over 50 antimalarial projects in collaboration with more than 130 pharmaceutical, academic, and endemic-country partners in 44 countries. In partnership with pharmaceutical companies and the use of high throughput screening technology, MMV has been able to screen more than five million compounds for antimalarial activity. This has resulted in an incredible treasure chest of over 10,000 new starting points for medicinal chemistry.
With over USD 480 million received and committed from government agencies, private foundations, international organizations, and corporate foundations; research carried out in the labs and clinical trial sites of its research partners; and industry partners contributing to the effort with staff, facilities, and technology, MMV is well set to deliver a range of new medicines. These will be the tip of the spear that, with an array of other tools and strategies, will finally be capable of defeating malaria once and for all.
For more information visit www.mmv.org.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual levels of activity, performance or achievement to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the views of Anacor as of the date of this press release with respect to future events and, except as required by law, it undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release.
Contact:
Anne Bowdidge
Investor Relations
650-543-7575
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