'Science Signaling' to Publish Paper on Therapeutically Targeting ErbB3 to Treat Overexpressed or Mutated Oncogenes Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Chief Scientific Officer Ulrik B. Nielsen is Senior Author

This paper describes how the authors used a systems biology approach to highlight ErbB3 as a key node in cancer progression and to design a human monoclonal antibody with a novel mechanism that potently inhibits ErbB3 and may potentially benefit patients not effectively treated by current therapies targeting overexpressed or mutated oncogenes. MM-121 is currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

Cambridge, Mass. (PRWEB) June 26, 2009 -- 'Science Signaling (http://www.aaas.org)' will publish the paper "Therapeutically Targeting ErbB3: A Key Node in Ligand-Induced Activation of the ErbB Receptor-PI3K Axis" on June 30, 2009. The paper explains how the authors used their computational model of the ErbB signaling network to highlight ErbB3 as the key node in response to ligands that can bind either ErbB3 or EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor). They describe MM-121, a human monoclonal antibody that potently inhibits ErbB3 in a manner distinct from that of other ErbB-targeted therapies. MM-121's novel mechanism was designed using a systems biology approach and promises to benefit cancer patients not effectively treated by current therapies targeting overexpressed or mutated oncogenes. MM-121 is currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

To request an advance copy of this article, contact: 'Science Signaling' at (202) 326-6440.

To speak with senior author Ulrik B. Nielsen, contact:

(1) Kathleen Petrozzelli, Corporate Communications, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, at (617) 441-1043; http://www.merrimackpharma.com, or

(2) Betsy Stevenson, RaymondStevenson Healthcare Communications, at (860) 984-1424

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