EPO grants patent for Aeterna Zentaris' perifosine to treat benign, malignant tumours

Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS) (TSX: AEZ) (the "Company") today announced that the European Patent Office ("EPO") has granted a patent for the use of alkyl phosphocholines, more specifically perifosine (octadecyl 1,1-dimethylpiperidino-4-yl phosphate), in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of benign and malignant tumours, prior to and/or during the treatment with approved anti-tumour anti-metabolites such as 5FU ("fluorouracil") and capecitabine. Filed on July 29, 2003, the patent (EP #1 545 553) titled, "Use of Alkyl Phosphocholines in Combination with Anti-Tumour Medicaments", will be effective as of July 13, 2011, following its announcement in the European Patent Bulletin, and will expire on July 28, 2023.

Juergen Engel, Ph.D., Aeterna Zentaris President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The patent protects the use of perifosine in combination with capecitabine, not only in metastatic colorectal cancer, but also in other cancer indications such as gastric and breast cancer where capecitabine is also approved. The patent comes also at a time when we are looking forward to the completion of the pivotal Phase 3 trials with perifosine in colorectal cancer and multiple myeloma."