Millennium Initiates Clinical Trial For Oral Proteasome Inhibitor

Millennium has expanded its protein homeostasis program with the initiation of Phase I clinical trial for an oral formulation of MLN9708, a proteasome inhibitor. An intravenous formulation of MLN9708 entered clinical trials in March.

MLN9708 is the third molecule developed by Millennium from its research in protein homeostasis. Velcade (bortezomib) for injection, a proteasome inhibitor developed by Millennium, is currently approved for patients with multiple myeloma, and patients with mantle cell lymphoma who have received at least one prior therapy.

Last year, Millennium has initiated Phase I clinical trials for MLN4924, which targets the Nedd8-Activating Enzyme (NAE), located upstream of the proteasome in the Ubiquitin Proteasome Pathway (UPP).

Millennium is expected to continue its research and development activities in protein homeostasis, which has been shown to be linked to the pathologic properties of a broad range of cancers.

Additionally, Millennium and Harvard Medical School’s Office of Technology Development have reported a collaborative agreement in January 2008 to pursue a research program in the area of protein homeostasis.

As per the terms of the agreement, Harvard has granted Millennium a license to certain inventions from the laboratory of professor Wade Harper. The two institutions are working jointly to advance the program in this new area of research over several years under a sponsored research agreement.

Joseph Bolen, chief scientific officer of Millennium, said: “We are thrilled that both MLN9708 and MLN4924, two agents from our oncology pipeline, have advanced to the clinic. These milestones, in addition to our ongoing collaborative research agreement with Harvard Medical School, further underscore our significant expertise and commitment to the field of protein homeostasis.”