Synta Announces Clinical Data Presentations at ASCO

LEXINGTON, Mass., May 24, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: SNTA) today announced that results from a Phase 1 study of STA-9090, a potent, second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, will be the subject of a poster discussion session in the Developmental Therapeutics session at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2010 on Saturday, June 5 at 12:30 p.m.

STA-9090 Posters and Poster Discussions

"A Phase 1 dose-escalation study of the Hsp90 inhibitor STA-9090 administered once weekly in patients with solid tumors." (Abstract #2529) - June 5, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT; Developmental Therapeutics; General Poster Session, Board 15, First author: Jonathan W. Goldman, M.D., Premiere Oncology, Santa Monica, CA.

A discussion of this poster will be presented by Dr. Lesley Seymour, Queen's University, on Saturday, June 5, 12:30 p.m. in room E354b at the McCormick Place.

"A Phase 1 dose-escalation study of the Hsp90 inhibitor STA-9090 administered twice weekly in patients with solid tumors." (Abstract #3083) - June 7, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT; Developmental Therapeutics; General Poster Session, Board 17C, First author: James M. Cleary, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.

Elesclomol Poster

"Phase 3, randomized, double-blind study of elesclomol and paclitaxel versus paclitaxel alone in stage IV metastatic melanoma (MM): 1-year OS update." (Abstract #8550) - June 6, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT; Melanoma/Skin Cancers; General Poster Session, Board 50B, First author: Vojo Vukovic, M.D., Ph.D., Synta Pharmaceuticals.

About STA-9090

STA-9090 is a potent, synthetic, small-molecule Hsp90 inhibitor, with a chemical structure unrelated to the first-generation, ansamycin family of Hsp90 inhibitors (e.g., 17-AAG or IPI-504). In preclinical studies, STA-9090 has shown potency up to 100 times greater than the first-generation Hsp90 inhibitors as well as activity against a wider range of kinases. In in vitro and in vivo models, STA-9090 has shown potent activity against a wide range of cancer types, including lung, prostate, colon, breast, gastric, pancreatic, melanoma and certain hematologic cancers - as well as potent activity against cancers resistant to imatinib (Gleevec(R)), sunitinib (Sutent(R)), erlotinib (Tarceva(R)), and dasatinib (Sprycel(R)).

STA-9090 is currently being evaluated in eight clinical trials: four Phase 2 trials in solid tumor cancers - non-small cell lung cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, colon cancer, gastric cancer; two trials in hematologic cancers; and two Phase 1 solid tumor trials. Trials in colon cancer and gastric cancer are investigator-sponsored. Information on clinical trials with STA-9090 can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About Elesclomol

Elesclomol induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells by disrupting cancer cell energy production and metabolism. In laboratory studies, elesclomol has been observed to increase the level of reactive oxygen species in cancer cells beyond sustainable levels, triggering the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. This mechanism of action represents a novel way of selectively targeting and killing cancer cells.

About Synta Pharmaceuticals

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to extend and enhance the lives of patients with severe medical conditions, including cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. Synta has a unique chemical compound library, an integrated discovery engine, and a diverse pipeline of clinical- and preclinical-stage drug candidates with distinct mechanisms of action and novel chemical structures. All Synta drug candidates were invented by Synta scientists using our compound library and discovery capabilities. For more information, please visit www.syntapharma.com.

SOURCE: Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.
Rob Kloppenburg, 781-541-7125