Synta Announces Presentations at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research

LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 16, 2015-- Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: SNTA) announced today that poster presentations related to studies with ganetespib, a novel, potent small molecule inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in Phase 3 development, and STA-12-8666, the company’s leading candidate from its proprietary Hsp90 inhibitor Drug Conjugate (HDC) Program, will be presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“Preclinical data presented at this year’s AACR meeting add to the body of data supporting the potential benefit of combining ganetespib with multiple therapeutic modalities in the treatment of various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer. These data continue to provide support for our broad clinical strategy, including the ongoing Phase 3 GALAXY-2 trial and our large, randomized, investigator-sponsored studies, and will help shape our future clinical direction,” said Anne Whitaker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Synta. “In addition, we continue to see highly encouraging preclinical proof of concept data for our lead HDC candidate, STA-12-8666, in several animal models, including resistant pancreatic cancer and small cell lung cancer patient derived xenografts. We are encouraged by the progress of this program and look forward to moving toward an IND submission by the first quarter of 2016.”

Poster presentations highlighting results from Synta researchers and collaborators include:

Ganetespib

Ganetespib resistance in KRAS mutant NSCLC is mediated through bypassing the G2/M checkpoint and reactivating the PI3K/MTOR pathway
Presentation: Sunday, April 19, 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Abstract number: 762
Authors: Chatterjee, et al.

Ganetespib sensitizes colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo to a clinically relevant regimen of radiation and chemotherapy
Presentation: Tuesday, April 21, 8:00 AM12:00 PM PT
Abstract number: 3442
Authors: Nagaraju, et al.

STA-12-8666

STA-12-8666: a first-in-class HSP90 inhibitor drug conjugate (HDC) designed to selectively deliver chemotherapy to tumors
Presentation: Tuesday, April 21, 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Abstract number: 4409
Authors: Proia, et al.

Preclinical testing demonstrates strong activity of STA-12-8666, an HSP90 inhibitor-SN-38 conjugate, in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
Presentation: Monday, April 20, 8:00 AM12:00 PM ET
Abstract number: 1731
Authors: Gapanova, et al.

Development of patient-derived platform to assess activity of anticancer agents in pancreatic cancer
Presentation: Monday, April 20, 8:00 AM12:00 PM ET
Abstract number: 1465
Authors: Khazak, et al.

Copies of these posters will be made available at www.syntapharma.com in the Pipeline section under Ganetespib Presentations and STA-12-8666 Presentations.

About Synta Pharmaceuticals

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. is an innovative, agile biopharmaceutical company focused on research, development and commercialization of novel oncology medicines that have the potential to change the lives of cancer patients. Synta’s lead oncology drug candidate, ganetespib, a novel heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor, is currently being evaluated in several clinical trials including the pivotal GALAXY-2 Phase 3 trial in non-small cell lung cancer. Building on its extensive expertise in the science of Hsp90, Synta also has a novel proprietary Hsp90 inhibitor Drug Conjugate (HDC) small molecule drug development program. IND enabling studies have commenced for the first clinical candidate from the HDC program, STA-12-8666, and preclinical evaluation of additional HDC candidates is ongoing. For more information, please visit www.syntapharma.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This media release may contain forward-looking statements about Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will", "would", "should", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "may", "estimates", "predicts", "projects", or similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements, including statements related to Synta’s plan to file an IND for STA-12-8666 by the first quarter of 2016, reflect Synta’s current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including those described in "Risk Factors" of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Synta undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Source: Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.

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