COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sermonix Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics to specifically treat metastatic breast cancers (mBC) harboring ESR1 mutations, today announced it is now an industry member of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance, a collective of cancer nonprofits, pharmaceutical and biotech industry members and individual patient advocates working collaboratively to transform and improve the lives of people living with mBC.
“Sermonix is excited to partner with and support the efforts of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance and the important work they do as we continue our journey toward improving the lives of patients and families confronted with this terrible disease,” said Dr. Miriam Portman, Sermonix co-founder and chief operating officer. “Lasofoxifene, our lead investigational drug, has demonstrated both potential efficacy in combating metastatic breast cancer and potential benefit with respect to vaginal and sexual health. We look forward to working with our Alliance partners to share the message that as we continue the vital work of extending lives, quality of life also matters.”
The partnership comes as Sermonix launches DiscoverElaine.com, a resource for learning about metastatic breast cancer and the company’s three Evaluation of Lasofoxifene in ESR1 Mutations (ELAINE) studies, with links and tools to helpful information for patients and their loved ones. With the Phase 2 ELAINE-1 and ELAINE-2 studies both completed and having demonstrated compelling anti-tumor activity against tumors with increasingly prevalent ESR1 mutations, Sermonix, in December 2023, activated and began enrollment for ELAINE-3.
A global registrational study, ELAINE-3 will assess the efficacy of lasofoxifene and Eli Lilly and Company’s CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib (Verzenio®) compared to fulvestrant and abemaciclib in 400 pre- and post-menopausal subjects with locally advanced or metastatic ER+/HER2- breast cancer with an ESR1 mutation.
The website and studies were named for Dr. Elaine Davidson Nemzer, the sister of Miriam Portman. Davidson Nemzer was a brilliant and compassionate child psychiatrist whose life was cut short by mBC at the age of 47.
“Her spirit inspires us every day to do what we do,” said Dr. Portman. “It provides us with passion and purpose to help those suffering with metastatic breast cancer.”
To learn more about Sermonix Pharmaceuticals and lasofoxifene, visit https://sermonixpharma.com. For more information about the ELAINE studies, visit https://elainestudy.com and https://DiscoverElaine.com.
About Sermonix
Sermonix Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of female-specific oncology products and is currently undertaking two Phase 2 clinical studies of lasofoxifene, its lead investigational drug. The Sermonix management team, led by founder Dr. David Portman, has significant experience in all stages of the drug development, regulatory and commercialization processes. Paul Plourde, M.D., vice president of oncology clinical development, has many decades of experience at AstraZeneca in the breast cancer drug development arena. Barry Komm, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, is recognized for his expertise in nuclear receptor biology. Miriam Portman, M.D., is co-founder and chief operating officer, with expertise in clinical trial conduct and patient recruitment. Elizabeth Attias, M.M.Sc., Sc.D., chief strategy and development officer, has extensive experience in pharmaceutical drug commercialization. Simon Jenkins, Ph.D., vice president of operations, has over 30 years of experience in global drug development leadership. Sermonix non-executive chairman of the board is Anthony Wild, Ph.D., former president of both Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals and Warner-Lambert’s Pharmaceutical Division. Learn more at SermonixPharma.com.
Sermonix Contact:
Elizabeth Attias, Sc.D.
Chief Strategy and Development Officer
EAttias@sermonixpharma.com
(973) 723-7832
