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Quark Biotech Discovers Role of RTP801 in the Development of Age-related Macular Degeneration

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050310/nyth022_2.html

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-Findings of Study To Be Presented at the Second Annual Ocular Angiogenesis Conference- [See #msg-5569664.]

FREMONT, Calif., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Quark Biotech, Inc. announced today findings from a study that suggest that the hypoxia inducible gene RTP801 may serve an important mechanistic role in the development of experimental chordial neovascularization (CNV), the principal cause of vision loss in patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The study, led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati of University of Kentucky, provides scientific rationale for further preclinical and clinical studies of RTP801 in AMD and will be presented at the second annual Ocular Angiogenesis conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts from March 24th-25th, 2005.

"This molecular therapy may provide many advantages over alternate therapies for the treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration. The targeted disruption of RTP801 inhibits experimental CNV, which ultimately may help to inhibit vision loss," said Dr. Ambati.

The data reveals that in an animal model of CNV, disruption of RT801 expression through siRNA, reduced CNV by almost 58 percent compared to the control. In addition, in RTP801-knockout mice, CNV was inhibited by 32 percent.

"Molecular therapies are urgently needed to help treat patients with AMD. As part of our program in ischemic diseases, we plan to further develop the RNAi-based drug candidate using the RTP801 target," said Dr. Daniel Zurr, Chief Executive Officer of Quark Biotech, Inc. "We believe that our program's focus on RTP801 is a novel therapeutic strategy because the majority of emerging therapies are currently focusing on the inhibition of VEGF-VEGFR1 axis. Our study of RTP801 forms the basis of our discovery programs in diabetic retinopathy, AMD and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."

Quark reported the discovery of RTP801 in 2002 and was recently granted three broad U.S. patents for covering the gene, its encoded protein and their inhibition. Quark has demonstrated in a model of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) that knockout mice deficient of RTP801 are protected from the three major pathological hallmarks of this model of retinopathy: hyperoxia- associated vasoobliteration, hypoxia-induced apoptosis of neuroretina and retinal neovascularization (angiogenesis).

About Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans age 65 and older, with over 200,000 news cases every year in the U.S. According to the eye-health organization Macular Degeneration Partnership, around 15 million Americans have evidence of macular degeneration and the incidence is increasing with time.

In AMD, abnormal blood vessels gain access to the macula, a key retinal area where central vision resides, leading to irreversible damage and loss of central vision by the growth of scar tissue. To date, the key to therapies is to stop or prevent the growth of the abnormal blood vessels and slow down the progression of scar tissue formation.

About Quark Biotech, Inc.

Quark Biotech, Inc. is a privately held development-stage, biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Fremont, CA. Through innovative combination of gene silencing and DNA microarray technology, Quark has pioneered and patented its BiFARTM platform for high-throughput functional profiling, allowing significant advances in the identification of target genes and proteins. This technology allows the company to develop conceptually novel drugs that provide previously unavailable benefits to patients. Quark is currently harvesting novel targets identified using this enabling foundation technology. Quark has focused development efforts on treatment of fibrotic and ischemic diseases of the eye, kidney and lungs, in indications with clear unmet medical needs.

Quark corporate product development teams and research facilities are based in Fremont, CA with research facilities also in Ness-Ziona, Israel. Additional information is available at http://www.quarkbiotech.com.
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