Telik Announces Telintra® Clinical Publication at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Telik, Inc. (Nasdaq: TELK) announced today the publication of a clinical trial abstract in the proceedings of the 54^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology in Atlanta, Georgia.  The abstract, "Oral Ezatiostat HCl (Telintra), a Glutathione Analog Prodrug GSTP1-1 Inhibitor, for Treatment of Patients with Myeloid Growth Factor-Resistant Idiopathic Chronic Neutropenia (ICN)," by Roger M. Lyons, MD; Sharon T. Wilks, MD; and of David J. Friedman MD, PhD, of Cancer Care Centers of South Texas, US Oncology in San Antonio, Texas; and Shelby A. Young, RN, BSN, and Gail L. Brown, MD, of Telik, Inc., in Palo Alto, California, is available online at Blood (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts) 2012 120: Abstract 4394.

This abstract reports the preliminary results of a clinical trial with ezatiostat to study the treatment of patients with idiopathic chronic neutropenia (ICN).  ICN is a rare group of blood disorders characterized by low circulating neutrophils, recurrent fevers, mucosal inflammation and serious systemic infections.  The risk and severity of these complications is related to abnormally low levels of white blood cells.  Most patients initially respond to treatment with granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G‑CSF); however, some patients fail to respond or become resistant to G‑CSF treatments.  Further, G‑CSF therapy is often associated with bone and muscle pain, low platelet counts and enlargement of the spleen.  Patients may need to be on G‑CSF for the rest of their lives, and these side effects can interfere with therapy.

Ezatiostat is an investigational agent in development for the treatment of ICN.  The compound is a glutathione S-transferase (GST) inhibitor that activates Jun kinase, which has been demonstrated to promote growth and maturation of hematopoietic progenitors.  Four patients with longstanding, severe ICN and inadequate absolute neutrophil count (ANC) response to G‑CSF were enrolled in this phase 2 trial.  These patients all had a history of frequent hospitalization for sepsis, prolonged courses of antibiotics and poor response to myeloid growth factors, including G‑CSF.  The patients were treated with orally administered ezatiostat.

Ezatiostat treatment of these ICN patients with grade 4 neutropenia who were not responsive to G‑CSF resulted in a durable increase in their white-blood-cell levels, leading to clinically significant reductions in serious infections.  Extended oral treatment with ezatiostat has been well tolerated in these patients and may be appropriate for longer-term therapy.  Ezatiostat is the first targeted GSTP1-1 inhibitor that has been shown to have a positive effect on white blood cell levels in ICN and may provide molecular insight into the pathophysiology of ICN.  These results suggest that further study is warranted of ezatiostat's potential role as an oral therapy alternative or adjunct to G‑CSF in the treatment of ICN in patients who are not responsive to G‑CSF.

About Telik

Telik, Inc. of Palo Alto, CA, is a clinical stage drug development company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat cancer.  The company's most advanced drug candidate is Telintra, a modified glutathione analog intended for the treatment of hematologic diseases including myelodysplastic syndrome and ICN; followed by Telcyta®, a cancer activated prodrug for the treatment of a variety of cancers.  Telik's product candidates were discovered using its proprietary drug discovery technology, TRAP®, which enables the rapid and efficient discovery of small molecule drug candidates.

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements regarding the safety and effectiveness of Telintra in treating ICN, whether Telintra treatment results in a durable increase in white blood cell levels, the tolerability of Telintra in ICN patients and Telintra's potential role as an oral therapy alternative or adjunct to G‑CSF in the treatment of ICN.  These forward-looking statements are based upon Telik's current expectations, and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements.  Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release may be found in Telik's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2012.  Telik does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Telik, the Telik logo, TELINTRA, TELCYTA and TRAP are trademarks or registered trademarks of Telik, Inc.

SOURCE Telik, Inc.