Study data of Perifosine + Bortezomib combination in multiple myeloma patients presented

Dec 7 2009

Æterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS; TSX: AEZ) (the "Company"), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on endocrine therapy and oncology, today announced that its partner Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc. ("Keryx") (Nasdaq: KERX) reported updated efficacy and safety data as well as new survival data on the clinical activity of perifosine (KRX-0401) in combination with bortezomib (Velcade(R)) (+/- dexamethasone) in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Data from the study entitled "A Multicenter Phase 1/2 Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Perifosine (KRX-0401) + Bortezomib (Velcade(R)) in Patients with Relapsed or Relapsed / Refractory Multiple Myeloma Who Were Previously Treated with Bortezomib," was presented on Saturday, December 5th at the 51st annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, in a poster presentation by Dr. Paul Richardson, Clinical Director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Keryx is Æterna Zentaris' partner and licensee for perifosine in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Perifosine is also out-licensed to Handok in South Korea while Æterna Zentaris retains rights for the rest of the world.