CuraGen and TopoTarget Announce Presentations on Belinostat at the Upcoming American Society of Hematology 49th Annual Meeting

    BRANFORD, Conn., Nov. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CuraGen Corporation
 ( CRGN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on
 oncology, and TopoTarget A/S (Copenhagen Stock Exchange: TOPO) announced
 today that updated preliminary clinical trial results from the Phase II
 study of belinostat for T-cell lymphomas, and new preclinical data
 evaluating belinostat on pediatric leukemia cell lines, will be presented
 at the 2007 American Society of Hematology (ASH) 49th Annual Meeting in
 Atlanta, GA, on Monday, December 10, 2007.
 
 

     The presentation details are as follows:
 
     Title:        Belinostat (PXD101) in Patients with Recurrent or Refractory
                   Peripheral or Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: Results of a Phase
                   II Study
     Date/Time:    Monday, December 10, 2007, 5:00 - 7:00 PM EST
     Session:      Lymphoma: Chemotherapy, excluding Pre-Clinical Models-
                   Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma and T-Cell Lymphoma
     Poster board: 672-II
     Abstract:     3453
 
     Title:        Investigation of the Efficacy of PXD101 (Belinostat) on
                   Primary Leukaemic Cells and Cell Lines as a Novel Agent for
                   Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)
     Date/Time:    Monday, December 10, 2007, 5:00 - 7:00 PM EST
     Session:      Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia: Biology and Pathophysiology
     Poster board: 12-III
     Abstract:     2793
     These abstracts are currently available online at
 http://www.abstracts2view.com/hem07. Following their presentation on
 December 10, 2007, reprints of the posters will be made available on
 CuraGen's website at www.curagen.com or by emailing info@curagen.com.
 
     About Belinostat
 
     Belinostat is a small molecule HDAC inhibitor being investigated for
 its role in the treatment of a wide range of solid tumors and hematologic
 malignancies either as a single-agent, or in combination with other active
 anti-cancer agents, including carboplatin, paclitaxel, cis-retinoic acid,
 azacitidine, idarubicin and Velcade(R) (bortezomib) for Injection. HDAC
 inhibitors represent a new mechanistic class of anti-cancer therapeutics
 that target HDAC enzymes and have been shown to arrest growth of cancer
 cells (including drug resistant subtypes); induce apoptosis, or programmed
 cell death; promote differentiation; inhibit angiogenesis; and sensitize
 cancer cells to overcome drug resistance when used in combination with
 other anti- cancer agents.
 
     Intravenous belinostat is currently being evaluated in multiple
 clinical trials as a potential treatment for cutaneous and peripheral
 T-cell lymphomas, B-cell lymphomas, AML, mesothelioma, soft tissue sarcoma,
 MDS, and liver, colorectal, and ovarian cancers, either alone or in
 combination with anti- cancer therapies. An oral formulation of belinostat
 is also being evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial for patients with
 advanced solid tumors. In August 2004, CuraGen signed a Clinical Trials
 Agreement with the NCI under which the NCI will sponsor several clinical
 trials to investigate belinostat for the treatment of various cancers, both
 as a single-agent and in combination chemotherapy regimens. In May 2005,
 TopoTarget announced the signing of a Cooperative Research and Development
 Agreement (CRADA) with the NCI to conduct preclinical and nonclinical
 studies on belinostat in order to better understand its anti-tumor activity
 and to provide supporting information for clinical trials.
 
     About CuraGen
 
     CuraGen Corporation ( CRGN) is a dedicated clinical-stage
 biopharmaceutical company developing diverse approaches for the treatment
 of cancer including the histone deacetylase inhibitor, belinostat, and the
 antibody-drug conjugate, CR011-vcMMAE. By leveraging drug development
 strengths cultivated over the years, CuraGen expects to make a difference
 by advancing its promising therapeutics to address the unmet medical needs
 of cancer patients. CuraGen Corporation is headquartered in Branford,
 Connecticut. For additional information please visit www.curagen.com.
 
     About TopoTarget
 
     TopoTarget (OMX: TOPO) is a biotech company, headquartered in Denmark
 and with subsidiaries in US, Switzerland, Germany and the UK, dedicated to
 finding "Answers for Cancer" and developing improved cancer therapies.
 TopoTarget is founded and run by clinical cancer specialists and combines
 years of hands-on clinical experience with in-depth understanding of the
 molecular mechanisms of cancer. Focus lies on highly predictive cancer
 models and key cancer targets (including HDACi, NAD+, mTOR, FASligand and
 topoisomerase II inhibitors) and a strong development foundation has been
 built. TopoTarget has a broad portfolio of small molecule pre-clinical drug
 candidates and nine drugs (both small molecules and protein based) are in
 clinical development, including both novel anti-cancer therapeutics and new
 cancer indications for existing drugs. Savene(TM)/Totect(TM) was approved
 by EMEA in 2006 and the FDA in 2007 and is TopoTarget's first product on
 the market. For more information, please refer to www.topotarget.com.
 
     Safe Harbor
 
     Statements in this press release regarding CuraGen's belinostat
 development program, including the presentation of updated preliminary
 Phase II clinical trial results and new preclinical results at the ASH 49th
 Annual Meeting may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning
 of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
 statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipate,"
 "believe," "could," "could increase the likelihood," "estimate," "expect,"
 "intend," "is planned," "may," "should," "will," "will enable," "would be
 expected," "look forward," "may provide," "would" or similar terms,
 variations of such terms or the negative of those terms. Such
 forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
 and other factors including the risk that any one or more of CuraGen's drug
 development programs will not proceed as planned for technical, scientific
 or commercial reasons or due to patient enrollment issues or based on new
 information from nonclinical or clinical studies or from other sources, the
 success of competing products and technologies, CuraGen's stage of
 development as a biopharmaceutical company, government regulation and
 healthcare reform, technological uncertainty and product development risks,
 product liability exposure, uncertainty of additional funding, CuraGen's
 history of incurring losses and the uncertainty of achieving profitability,
 reliance on research collaborations and strategic alliances, competition,
 patent infringement claims against CuraGen's products, processes and
 technologies, CuraGen's ability to protect its patents and proprietary
 rights and uncertainties relating to commercialization rights, as well as
 those risks, uncertainties and factors referred to in the Company's
 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2007,
 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the section "Risk
 Factors," as well as other documents that may be filed by CuraGen from time
 to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of such
 risks, uncertainties and factors, the Company's actual results may differ
 materially from any future results, performance or achievements discussed
 in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. CuraGen
 is providing the information in this press release as of this date and
 assumes no obligations to update the information included in this press
 release or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
 new information, future events or otherwise.
 
 

     CuraGen Contact:
     Glenn Schulman, Pharm.D.
     Director of Investor Relations
     gschulman@curagen.com
     (888) 436-6642
 
     CRGN-P
 
 

SOURCE CuraGen Corporation