To pursue a research program in the area of protein homeostasis, an emerging and expanding field of cancer biology, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Harvard Medical School's Office of Technology Development have formed an innovative collaboration agreement for an undisclosed amount.

Under the terms of the agreement, Harvard has granted Millennium a license to certain invention from the laboratory of Professor J. Wade Harper and the two institutions will jointly advance the program in this novel area of research over several years under a sponsored research agreement.

"Harvard Medical School's research initiatives in protein homeostasis, together with the demonstrated leadership of Millennium in this area, promises to advance our understanding of this important field and its role in regulating cancer cells," said Wade Harper, Ph.D., Bert and Natalie Vallee Professor of Molecular Pathology, Harvard Medical School. "We expect this collaboration to accelerate the important work the lab has accomplished to date."

Research has shown various pathways that regulate cellular protein homeostasis are linked to the pathologic properties of a broad range of cancers. The initial research-based agreement is focused on advancing knowledge in this evolving field over the course of three years.

"Wade Harper's ground-breaking scientific progress in the field of protein homeostasis makes this agreement a natural fit for our Discovery organization," said Joe Bolen, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, Millennium. "Our mutual interest in advancing this promising area of research will provide the opportunity to apply our combined knowledge and expertise and may ultimately lead to a new generation of therapies for patients."

The collaboration further underscores the significant expertise in, and commitment to the field of protein homeostasis at Millennium. Velcade (bortezomib) for Injection, the market leader for multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma patients, who have received at least one prior therapy, is the first and only marketed proteasome inhibitor. In addition, the Company recently advanced two novel molecules into development that regulate protein homeostasis. MLN4924 is an inhibitor of the Millennium discovered Nedd 8 activating enzyme. MLN4924 acts by inhibiting Cullin based ligases, enzymes involved in the regulation of cancer cell growth and survival. This molecule is expected to enter Phase I clinical trials in early 2008. MLN2238, a second generation proteasome inhibitor, recently was advanced to the development pipeline. MLN2238 has demonstrated impressive properties in preclinical studies that distinguish it from current proteasome inhibitors. This molecule is being developed for both oral and IV routes of administration thereby expanding the potential clinical utility of proteasome inhibitors.