KARO BIO: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ER-BETA COMPOUNDS PRESENTED AT SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM

STOCKHOLM, May 16, 2011 – Karo Bio AB (publ) is organizing a symposium in Stockholm on May 16-17, where key researchers from the industry and the academic community present and discuss the frontier of research in the field of estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta) and its therapeutic applications. At the symposium, promising results for ER-beta selective compounds in preclinical models of multiple sclerosis (MS) will be described. MS is a prioritized indication and represents a great commercial opportunity for Karo Bio’s ER-beta program.

Karo Bio has for several years put significant effort into its preclinical program with the aim to develop ER-beta selective agonists suitable for use within different indications. During 2011, Karo Bio has succeeded to develop compounds that are sufficiently active in the central nervous system (CNS) to facilitate the treatment of depression or multiple sclerosis (MS). One of these compounds is being evaluated for use in the field of MS, while others have been identified as potential drug candidates in other indication areas. 

One of Karo Bio’s top priorities for 2011 is to establish drug discovery partnerships for the company’s ER-beta selective agonists. Karo Bio has entered into Material Transfer Agreements (MTA) with a number of international pharmaceutical companies under which joint evaluation activities are ongoing. In addition, commercial discussions are held with other potential interested parties.

Karo Bio has earlier informed that the company’s ER-beta selective agonists show promising effects in preclinical models for, among other indications, depression and certain forms of cancer. There are also ongoing research activities regarding the role of ER-beta in the field of MS. American research published during 2010 show that ER-beta selective agonists, through the stimulation of remyelination, may stop and ultimately even reverse disease progression, and thus have the potential to be a game-changing treatment of MS. Dr. Tiwari-Woodruff will describe these preclinical studies at the symposium. Moreover, recently published research (Cell, May 2011) by among others John. A Katzenellenbogen, who is also one of the speakers at the Karo Bio symposium, show that some, but not all, ER-beta agonists may have anti-inflammatory effects in MS.

Karo Bio is also investigating the effect of different ER-beta compounds in certain forms of cancer in collaborations with Italian research teams and with Professor Sam Okret and Dr. Johan Hartman at the Karolinska Institute. These researchers will share some of their findings during the Monday afternoon session.

Other areas that will be discussed from an ER-beta perspective during the two-day symposium are women’s health and urology. Karo Bio has an active interest and ongoing research efforts in these areas as well.

”This symposium is an excellent way of demonstrating the broad and multiple therapeutic potential of ER-beta as a drug target” says Fredrik Lindgren, CEO of Karo Bio.

For further information about the Karo Bio ER-beta symposium held on May 16-17, see Karo Bio’s website www.karobio.com.

For further information please contact:
Fredrik Lindgren, CEO
Mobile: +46 70 561 61 77
Erika Söderberg Johnson, CFO
Telephone: +46 70 720 48 20

About Karo Bio’s ER-beta program
The estrogen receptor (ER) is activated by estrogen and regulates a number of functions in the body. Estrogen has several positive effects but its use as a medical treatment has been limited by the associated increased risk for uterine and breast cancer as well as thrombosis. These risks are mainly linked to the ER-alpha receptor, while the estrogen receptor’s beta sub-type, ER-beta, seems to mediate many of the positive effects of estrogen without these side effects. For ER-beta selective compounds there are clinical opportunities within e.g. the fields of neuropsychiatry, certain forms of cancer, women’s health and urology. Karo Bio’s efforts have resulted in an exciting platform of many promising ER-beta selective compounds. These have slightly different properties and may thus be suitable for different indications.

About Karo Bio
Karo Bio is a pharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of innovative drugs for unmet medical needs. Karo Bio’s vision is to become a pharmaceutical company with sustainable profitability, commercial products and a competitive project portfolio.

Karo Bio runs a number of development projects within the indication areas cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neuropsychiatry, inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, cancer and women’s health. An important foundation for the company’s activities is its unique knowledge of nuclear receptors as target proteins for the development of novel pharmaceuticals, as well as related mechanisms of action. Important processes and competencies within the company include structurally based research, drug discovery, preclinical and clinical development, and medical and regulatory expertise.

Karo Bio has the capacity to process select compounds for niche indications through the whole development chain, while compounds addressing large patient groups require development collaborations or out-licensing at some stage in the process. In addition to proprietary projects, Karo Bio has three strategic collaborations with international pharmaceutical companies.

Karo Bio, headquartered in Huddinge, has 70 employees, and is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm since 1998 (Reuters: KARO.ST).

Karo Bio publishes this information in accordance with the Swedish Securities Markets Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was published on May 16, 2011, at 09:00 am CET.

This press release is also available online at www.karobio.com and www.newsroom.cision.com