Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the initiation of a phase I clinical trial of MLN3897, the first compound to enter clinical trials from its inflammation collaboration with Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. MLN3897, an orally-administered small molecule, is designed to block CCR1, a chemokine receptor found on the surface of various cells in the immune system which is believed to play a role in a number of inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. The primary objectives of this study are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and to obtain preliminary information on receptor binding properties of the compound.

"Advancing MLN3897 into the clinic represents real progress from the Millennium-Aventis collaboration and we believe it is a precursor to further success," said Robert I Tepper, MD, president of R&D at Millennium. "We believe that our expertise and knowledge of this critical cell trafficking pathway is going to enable us to develop breakthrough medicines for areas of unmet medical need, such as these chronic inflammatory conditions."

CCR1 is believed to play an important role in the MIP-1a/RANTES/CCR1 chemokine pathway. This receptor signals monocytes and T cells to travel to sites of injury, such as arthritic joints, as part of the inflammatory process. It is also believed that an antagonism of CCR1 could potentially offer new therapeutic approaches in a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune indications.

Millennium and Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. formed an alliance in June 2000 focused on identifying drug targets and developing new therapies for inflammatory diseases. Scientists are collaborating on discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammation-based conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and multiple sclerosis.

Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Mass., markets Velcade (bortezomib) for injection, a novel cancer product, co-promotes Integrilin (eptifibatide) Injection, a market-leading cardiovascular product, and has a robust clinical development pipeline of product candidates. The company's research, development and commercialization activities are focused in three therapeutic areas: oncology, cardiovascular, and inflammation.