THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXRX), announced today that top-line data from its Phase 2 clinical study with LX1031 in patients with non-constipating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) will be presented at GASTRO 2009 in London this week. Results from the study, which showed a significant improvement in IBS symptoms, will be presented by Dr. Philip M. Brown, Lexicon's senior vice president of clinical development, on November 25, 2009 at 2:30 pm local time at the session entitled, "Therapeutic insights in functional digestive disorders."
The GASTRO 2009 meeting is a joint world conference in the area of gastroenterology. This meeting will bring together the world's leading organizations – the United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGF), World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO), World Organization of Digestive Endoscopy (OMED) and the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) – for one of the biggest congresses in this area of medicine with more than 12,000 scientists from around the world expected to attend.
A summary of the GASTRO 2009 presentation (with audio) will be available on Lexicon's corporate website at www.lexpharma.com on November 25, 2009.
About LX1031
LX1031 is an orally available, locally acting inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), an enzyme necessary for the biosynthesis of serotonin. LX1031 acts by selectively decreasing the production of serotonin in the gastrointestinal tract. Discovered and developed by Lexicon, LX1031 is the first TPH inhibitor ever to be evaluated in human clinical trials for the treatment of IBS. In Phase 1 clinical trials, all dose levels of the drug were well tolerated, and no dose-limiting toxicities were observed. LX1031 was also shown to reduce levels of urinary 5-HIAA, a biomarker of serotonin production.
LX1031 is being developed in collaboration with Symphony Capital LLC.
About Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder most commonly characterized by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, IBS affects between 25 and 45 million people in the United States. Symptoms of IBS are believed to be mediated through serotonin, which has been shown to play an important role in modulating motility and signaling feelings of GI discomfort.
About Lexicon
Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing breakthrough treatments for human disease. Lexicon currently has five drug candidates in development for autoimmune disease, carcinoid syndrome, diabetes, glaucoma and irritable bowel syndrome, all of which were discovered by the company's research team. The company has used its proprietary gene knockout technology to identify more than 100 promising drug targets. Lexicon has focused drug discovery efforts on these biologically-validated targets to create its extensive pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs. For additional information about Lexicon and its programs, please visit www.lexpharma.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," including statements relating to Lexicon's plans for further clinical development of LX1031 and the potential therapeutic and commercial potential of LX1031. This press release also contains forward-looking statements relating to Lexicon's growth and future operating results, discovery and development of products other than LX1031, strategic alliances and intellectual property, as well as other matters that are not historical facts or information. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current assumptions and expectations and involve risks, uncertainties and other important factors, specifically including those relating to the clinical development of LX1031 and preclinical and clinical development of Lexicon's other potential drug candidates and Lexicon's ability to successfully advance additional candidates into preclinical and clinical development, obtain necessary regulatory approvals, achieve its operational objectives, obtain patent protection for its discoveries and establish strategic alliances, as well as additional factors relating to manufacturing, intellectual property rights, and the therapeutic or commercial value of its drug candidates, that may cause Lexicon's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Information identifying such important factors is contained under "Factors Affecting Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in Lexicon's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lexicon undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
