Epizyme Publishes Current Review on Targeting Protein Methyltransferases for Personalized Cancer Therapeutics
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Epizyme, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company leading the creation of personalized therapeutics to treat genetically defined cancers, today announced the publication of a contemporary review on targeting protein methyltransferases for personalized cancer therapeutics in the Nature Publishing Group journal Oncogene.
"This publication provides a comprehensive review of the histone methyltransferase (HMT) target class, the genetic alterations in these enzymes that drive specific human cancers and the ongoing efforts to identify and develop potent, selective inhibitors of these enzymes as the basis for novel, personalized cancer therapeutics," said Robert Copeland, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Epizyme. "The review highlights the significant progress that has been made in this field over the past five years and provides a clear foundation for the clinical development of HMT inhibitors (HMTi) that is now underway."
Epizyme has identified 96 histone methyltransferases and determined that 20 play an important role in cancer; these are prime targets for drug development. The company's programs to develop inhibitors for DOT1L for MLL-rearranged leukemia and EZH2 for mutant-bearing Non-Hodgkin lymphoma are examples of Epizyme's approach to creating personalized therapeutics for these genetically defined cancers.
The paper titled, "Targeting genetic alterations in protein methyltransferases for personalized cancer therapeutics," was authored by Robert A. Copeland, Mikel P. Moyer and Victoria M. Richon at Epizyme, and is available online.
About Epizyme
Epizyme is leading the creation of small molecule histone methyltransferase inhibitors (HMTi), a new class of personalized therapeutics for patients with genetically defined cancers. Genetic alterations in HMTs, a class of epigenetic enzymes, drive multiple human diseases. Our approach represents the future of healthcare by matching better medicines with the right patients.
Epizyme has benchmark alliances with Celgene, GSK and Eisai and receives funding and strategic support from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). For more information, visit www.epizyme.com.
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SOURCE Epizyme, Inc.