Enzon Files IND for Cancer Drug

Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has submitted an IND to the FDA for its HIF-1alpha (hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha) antagonist, a highly visible, validated target in many cancer types, including solid tumors.

“2006 was a very exciting year for Enzon, as we began to build an innovative oncology pipeline, said Jeffrey Buchalter, chairman and chief executive officer, Enzon. The filing of HIF-1alpha, our fourth IND submission in 2006, demonstrates our strong commitment to delivering on our promises and developing a differentiated cancer portfolio.”

The target HIF-1alpha functions as a key regulator of a large number of genes important in cancer biology, such as angiogenesis, cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell invasion. HIF-1alpha protein reaches high intracellular concentrations in a variety of cancers and is associated with poor prognosis and resistance to therapy. Drugs targeting HIF-1alpha have the potential to target multiple cancer processes.