OncoGenex Announces In-Licensing, Development Plans for Cancer Therapeutic

OncoGenex Technologies has in-licensed the rights to inhibitors of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) from The University of British Columbia.

Additionally, Hsp27 has been accepted by Isis Pharmaceuticals as a collaboration target under the expanded OncoGenex/Isis antisense drug discovery agreement announced earlier this year.

The lead compound, designated OGX-427, will add to OncoGenex's growing pipeline of therapeutics targeting cancers resistant to standard treatments. Based on preclinical data generated to date, OncoGenex anticipates that OGX-427 will be the second product in its portfolio to enter clinical development, which is slated to begin in 2006.