SERONO AND RIGEL SIGN AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP AURORA KINASE INHIBITORS

Rigel Pharmaceuticals has signed an agreement under which Serono has been granted an exclusive license to develop and commercialize product candidates from Rigel's Aurora kinase inhibitor program.

Rigel's Aurora kinase inhibitor program includes R763, for which Rigel expects to file an investigational new drug application in December. R763 is a highly potent, orally available multi-Aurora kinase inhibitor that has been shown in tumor xenograft models to inhibit proliferation and trigger apoptosis in several tumor cell lines, including the cervix, colon, lung, pancreas and prostate.

The over-expression of Aurora kinase can cause cells to rapidly develop an abnormal number of chromosomes. Elevated levels of Aurora kinase are frequently associated with various human cancers, such as cancers of the breast, bladder, colon, ovary, head and neck, and pancreas. Inhibition of Aurora kinase arrests cell division and promotes programmed cell death (apoptosis). Increased knowledge of Aurora kinase and its regulation may result in future treatments for cancer.