BRISBANE, Calif., Oct. 28, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BiPar Sciences, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing PARP inhibitors as novel cancer therapies, today announced that its lead drug candidate, BSI-201, which is in Phase 2 clinical trials for multiple cancer indications, has been selected as one of the Top 10 Most Interesting Oncology Projects Available for Partnering. An independent committee assembled by Windhover Information made the selection. Windhover is a leading provider of business information products and services to senior executives in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries.
"We are honored to have our lead pipeline compound selected as one of Windhover's Oncology Top 10," said Hoyoung Huh, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of BiPar Sciences. "BiPar's BSI-201, a PARP inhibitor, is a potential first-in-class and best-in-class treatment for multiple solid tumors, including triple negative breast cancer. This recognition further confirms the importance of PARP inhibitors, and other novel intra-nuclear targets, that demonstrate breakthrough efficacy and strong safety profiles in high unmet need cancers."
The selection committee for the Top 10 Most Interesting Projects Available for Partnering was led by Marc Wortman, Ph.D., contributing writer to Windhover's In Vivo and Start Up publications, and Ben Bonifant, vice president and head of the Business Development Practice, Campbell Alliance, a leading business development strategy consulting firm. Drawing on the analytic resources of these organizations, the group evaluated hundreds of compounds currently in development for oncology.
"Selected companies have been screened using a strict set of judging criteria for the Top 10 award, and represent what our committee considered the most attractive pipeline drug opportunities the industry has to offer," said Roger Longman, managing director of Windhover Information. "Winners have met strict criteria including: unmet medical need, market potential, diversity of indications, strong science, multi-level partnering opportunities (biotech and pharma), potential for new opportunities beyond initial indications, and corporate stability."
As a selected company, BiPar Sciences has been invited to present on BSI-201 at Windhover's Therapeutic Area Partnerships conference on November 4, 2008 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia.
About BiPar Sciences and BSI-201
BiPar Sciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing a novel class of tumor-selective drugs designed to address unmet needs of cancer patients. The company's lead product candidate is BSI-201, which is in Phase 2 testing for triple negative breast cancer, ovarian cancer and other malignancies. BSI-201 is a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, a targeted approach to treating solid tumors by preventing cancer cells from repairing damaged DNA, ultimately causing the cancer cells to die. The company is also conducting preclinical studies on two additional compounds, BSI-401 (PARP inhibitor) and BSI-302 (anti-tubulin program). BiPar Sciences is privately held with headquarters in Brisbane, California. For more information, please visit www.biparsciences.com.
About Windhover
Windhover Information, Inc., an Elsevier company, has led the field in providing analysis of the healthcare industry to decision-makers at all levels since the founding of its flagship publication, IN VIVO, the Business & Medicine Report, in 1983. Windhover provides its information and analysis in many formats, including print, electronic databases, international conferences and webinars. For more on the company's products and services, please see www.windhover.com.