For immediate release
Sept. 2,
2005
Contact:
Ginny Geib, University of Arizona College of Pharmacy,
communications director, (520) 626-3389, geib@pharmacy.arizona.edu
OR
Donna Breckenridge, Arizona Cancer Center, communications director, (520)
626-2277, dbreckenridge@azcc.arizona.edu
UA cancer researcher to receive
European award
Laurence Hurley, D.Sc., professor at The University of
Arizona College of Pharmacy and a member of the Arizona Cancer Center, will receive a prestigious award
for landmark achievements in the medicinal chemistry of cancer diseases from the
Royal Society of Chemistry this October.
The Royal Society of Chemistry, based in the
United Kingdom, is the
largest organization in Europe for
advancing the chemical sciences. Hurley will receive the George and Christine
Sosnovsky Cancer Research Award, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in
the prevention, control and cure of cancers using chemotherapy, including gene
therapy and immunotherapy. As part of the award, he will lecture throughout the
United
Kingdom during
October.
Hurley joined the faculty of The University of Arizona
in 2000. He directs a research group with expertise in structural and synthetic
chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology. The research projects focus on
the design and development of novel antitumor agents. Evaluations and clinical
trials of the agents are carried out in collaboration with other research groups
in the Arizona Cancer Center
and with Cylene Pharmaceuticals in San
Diego. Hurley is a founder of Cylene Pharmaceuticals, a
company first started in 1997 under the name Cyternex, and is chairman of its
Scientific Advisory Board.
In July 2005, Cylene announced that it had initiated
Phase I clinical trials for CX-3543, a first-in-class agent for treating
multiple cancers. The class of drugs (fluoroquinolones) from which CX-3543 is
derived was first identified by Hurley and colleagues at The University of Texas
in the late 1990s. CX-3543 was identified by Cylene in
2003.
CX-3543 is a small molecule with a novel mechanism of
action that selectively induces cancer cell death. The Phase I clinical trial
will involve patients with solid tumors or lymphomas and will define the
maximum-tolerated CX-3543 dose in preparation for Phase II trials.
Hurley will receive the Sosnovsky silver medal Oct. 25
in London for
his “leading role in interpreting the molecular basis of a number of anticancer
drugs” and his pioneering work in the study of protein-DNA-drug interactions. He
will speak about the development of G-quadruplex-interactive anticancer agents
such as CX-3543 during the Sosnovsky Award lecture tour that will take him to
universities in Cambridge, Bath, St. Andrews, Newcastle
and Cardiff
during the latter half of October.
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Note to reporters: Dr. Hurley will be in Tucson and available for
interviews about his work by appointment Sept. 6-7, 12-14, and
19-21
Susan
Guthrie
Senior Public Affairs
Coordinator
University of Arizona, College of Medicine
Phoenix Campus
4001 N. Third Street, Suite
401
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
602-631-6555 (office) 480-241-7738
(cell)
sguthrie@email.arizona.edu