Repligen receives three additional grants to develop HDAC inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases

Aug 2 2010

Repligen Corporation (Nasdaq: RGEN) today announced that the Company has received three additional grants to support its research program to develop HDAC inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases.  Repligen has received $436,000 in research funding to support the ongoing development of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for Friedreich's ataxia.  The funding is comprised of $218,000 from the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and $218,000 from Go Friedreich's Ataxia Research (GoFAR).  The grants will support the synthesis and characterization of additional HDAC inhibitors in support of the development of a potential therapy for Friedreich's ataxia.  Our continued collaboration with FARA and GoFAR provides access to a global network of scientific thought leaders and patients and partially funds the development of our Friedreich's ataxia program.

In addition, The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has awarded a grant in the amount of $6.05 million over four years to The Scripps Research Institute and Repligen for the development of a novel HDAC inhibitor for Huntington's disease.  Repligen is part of a collaborative network receiving the grant and has the potential to receive $2.9 million based on successful completion of various milestones during the four year program.  Dr. Joel M. Gottesfeld from The Scripps Research Institute is the principal investigator on the grant which is based on the demonstration of efficacy of a prototype HDAC inhibitor in an animal model of Huntington's disease conducted at Scripps.  The goals of the grant include the identification, characterization, optimization and preclinical GLP toxicology and safety testing of a novel HDAC inhibitor for Huntington's disease.

"We are very pleased by the support of FARA, GoFAR and NINDS for our research efforts," stated Walter C. Herlihy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Repligen Corporation.  "Friedreich's ataxia and Huntington's disease represent areas of high unmet medical need for which HDAC inhibitors have the potential to have a significant impact on patients' lives."

SOURCE Repligen Corporation