[Fwd: Caspace Inhibitors Shown to Inhibit Neuronal Cell Death- Apoptosis]

[Guest guest]

Idun's Caspase Inhibitors

Shown to Inhibit Neuronal Cell Death

- Caspase Inhibitors for

the Treatment of Alzheimer's and Other

Neurodegenerative Diseases

-

LA JOLLA, Calif., Dec. 19

/PRNewswire/ -- Idun Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced promising results

from studies designed to assess the effectiveness of a novel class of peptidomimetic

caspase inhibitors to protect against central nervous system (CNS) damage

that occurs in neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury.

Tomaselli, Ph.D., Vice President, Discovery Research and Co-Founder of

Idun Pharmaceuticals, presented results last week at the 39th Annual Meeting

of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in San

, Puerto Rico, which

demonstrated the ability of the Company's

proprietary caspase inhibitors

to decrease neuronal cell death via apoptosis.

A significant proportion

of the neuronal cell loss that occurs in central

nervous system (CNS) disease

and injury is by programmed cell death, or apoptosis. Apoptosis is

a genetically controlled form of cell suicide

affected by specific gene

products acting within dying cells. A family of cysteine proteases,

caspases, comprise the key effectors of the apoptotic pathway. Caspases

are expressed in all living cells in inactive forms. Following interaction

with caspase activator proteins (e.g. Apaf-1), they become active and cell

death quickly ensues. Small molecule inhibitors of caspases represent

a new approach to inhibiting neuronal cell death in the context of CNS

injury and disease.

"Cell death in the brain

is mediated by multiple caspases, which is an

important mechanism in the

neurodegenerative disease process," said Dr. Tomaselli. "Idun's caspase

inhibitors have the potential to reduce the brain damage that occurs as

a result of injury, as in stroke or trauma, or disease, including Alzheimer's

disease. Ongoing studies exploring the efficacy and safety of these

compounds in animal models will pave the way for testing in humans."

"Idun has been successful

in identifying compounds with the potential to reduce the debilitating

effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's," said

Mento, Ph.D., President and CEO of Idun

Pharmaceuticals. "The

same cell death process is at work in

neurodegenerative disease

as occurs in brain injury resulting from stroke and our compounds prevent

this cell death. The CNS program complements our drug development

programs in cardiovascular disease, acute organ damage, inflammation, and

cancer. This will allow us to leverage Idun's strong intellectual

property position in apoptosis technology an apply it to a number of important

human disease indications."

Idun Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

is a biopharmaceutical company based in La Jolla, CA. It creates

innovative human therapeutics with a primary focus on controlling apoptosis,

or programmed cell death. Idun believes that controlling the cell

death process will have utility in treating cancer, neurodegenerative diseases,

ischemic disorders and cardiovascular disease. The company has adopted

a commercialization strategy encompassing strategic collaborations with

major pharmaceutical companies, internal, independent development of selected

small molecule therapeutics, and out-licensing of diagnostics, gene therapies,

and bioproduction technologies. Idun has a broad patent portfolio

covering the fundamental and core technologies

involved in the regulation

of cell death and has established partnerships with Abbott Laboratories

in cancer, with Elan Corporation, plc in stroke, and Becton Dickinson and

Company in research reagents.

Contact: J.

Mento, Ph.D., President and CEO of Idun Pharmaceuticals, Inc., ;

or Lora Pike, media, of Noonan-Russo Communications, Inc., ,

ext. 211, for Idun Pharmaceuticals, Inc./

SOURCE Idun Pharmaceuticals,

Inc.

CO: Idun Pharmaceuticals,

Inc.

ST: California