LEXINGTON, Ma., Jan 27, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: SNTA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that Dr. Jonathan Goldman, M.D., Premiere Oncology will present interim results from a Phase 2 trial of ganetespib (formerly STA-9090) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 11^th Annual Targeted Therapies for the Treatment of Lung Cancer Meeting on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California.

Ganetespib is a best-in-class inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) that is currently being studied in a broad range of Phase 2 trials and has demonstrated clinical activity as a monotherapy as well as a favorable safety profile.

About the Phase 2 NSCLC Trial

The Phase 2 NSCLC trial is designed to enroll patients with advanced, metastatic disease (Stage IIIB and IV) who have failed prior therapy. Patients are grouped into one of three cohorts based on the genetic profile of their cancer, and are treated with ganetespib, as a monotherapy, once-weekly at a dose of 200 mg/m². Based on encouraging signs of activity, an amendment announced in September 2010 expanded the trial with two additional patient cohorts, including a cohort which allows for combination treatment with ganetespib and docetaxel.

The Phase 2 trial is ongoing and the presentation at the IASLC meeting will focus on preliminary results from cohorts in which the signal of clinical activity was detected. Presentation of additional results from this trial is expected in mid-2011.

About Ganetespib

Ganetespib (formerly STA-9090) is a potent, synthetic, small-molecule inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Hsp90 is a molecular chaperone required for the proper folding and activation of many cancer-promoting proteins, and is recognized as a key facilitator of cancer cell growth and survival. In preclinical experiments, ganetespib has shown activity in multiple tumor models both as a single agent and in combination with certain widely used cancer agents. Ganetespib is currently being evaluated in a broad range of cancer clinical trials including trials in non-small cell lung, breast, prostrate, pancreatic, colorectal, gastric, small cell lung, ocular melanoma, liver, GIST and hematologic cancers. Ganetespib has shown evidence of clinical and biological activity and has been well tolerated to date with no evidence of severe liver, ocular, cardiac or renal toxicity seen with other Hsp90 inhibitors. The most common adverse events seen to date have been diarrhea and fatigue, which have been manageable and reversible. Additional trials and the initiation of a registration-enabling program are planned for 2011. Information on clinical trials with STA-9090 can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

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.

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 relating to the timing, developments and progress of our ganetespib (formerly STA-9090) clinical program, reflect our 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, 2009 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.

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