RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK -- Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced today the issuance of United States Patent no. 6,583,132 entitled Oxidant Scavengers. Claims in the patent describe a method of treating diseases resulting from degradation of nitric oxide and accumulation of peroxynitrite by administration of a catalytic antioxidant compound. A prominent theory of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) is that accumulation of peroxynitrite plays a causative role in the destruction of motor neurons.

"This patent confers additional new protection for our priority project of developing a drug for treatment of ALS," stated Richard E. Gammans, Ph.D., Incara's head of research and development. "Our collaborator, Professor John Crow, has demonstrated that catalytic antioxidants markedly prolong survival in the transgenic mouse model of ALS. AEOL10150, our IND candidate, decomposes a variety of oxygen-derived free radicals, protects spinal neurons, and dramatically prolongs survival in the mouse model."

ALS, the most common motor neuron disease, results from progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons and is usually fatal within 5 years. Assuming satisfactory completion of animal safety studies, and completion of the remaining components of its recently announced financing, Incara intends to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the treatment of ALS in the second quarter of 2004. Allowance of the IND by the FDA would permit Incara to initiate clinical trials. The clinical program will test the ability of AEOL 10150 treatment to extend the survival of ALS patients.

Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation (www.incara.com) is developing a new class of small molecule catalytic antioxidants that destroy oxygen-derived free radicals, believed to be an important contributor to the pathogenesis of many diseases. Incara's catalytic antioxidants have been shown to reduce damage to tissue in animal studies of neurological disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and stroke, and in other non-neurological indications such as cancer radiation therapy, chronic bronchitis and asthma. Incara has completed pharmacology studies, selected a first indication for clinical development, conducted preliminary dose ranging toxicology studies and completed scale-up synthesis of its lead molecule.