Genaera Corporation has entered into an agreement for researchers at the National Cancer Institute to conduct preclinical evaluations on two of its second generation anti-angiogenic aminosterol compounds.

"From preclinical testing, we have identified a significant number of potent second generation anti-angiogenic aminosterols," said Kenneth J. Holroyd, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Genaera. "We clearly continue to be quite encouraged by the early results with squalamine, our lead anti-angiogenic aminosterol compound in clinical development for "wet" macular degeneration and cancer. At the same time, we are pleased that we have been able to make progress on second generation compounds that share squalamine's mechanism of action, while implementing cost cutting at the Company. Our goal is to identify an orally available clinical candidate compound, as program specific funding and resources allow. We appreciate the support of the National Cancer Institute in facilitating, at least in part, our reaching this goal."

Squalamine is from a class of pharmacologically active small molecules known as aminosterols. Squalamine is a potent anti-angiogenic molecule with a unique multi-faceted mechanism of action that blocks the action of a number of angiogenic growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The Company has performed preclinical and clinical trials evaluating squalamine in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and other adult solid tumors. Genaera also is developing squalamine in clinical trials for age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the United States. Additional aminosterol compounds in the preclinical research pipeline include trodulamine and anti-inflammatory aminosterols. Trodulamine is a central appetite suppressant not currently in active development, while business partnership and program-specific funding opportunities are being pursued. The anti-inflammatory aminosterols are supported in part by a Phase II SBIR grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for their potential to control the inflammation associated with asthma.