Momenta Pharma to Present Data Supporting Sialylation Platform

Momenta Pharmaceuticals,Inc. (Nasdaq: MNTA), a biotechnology company specializing in thecharacterization and engineering of complex drugs, will present its approachto designing novel therapeutics by applying site-specific sialylation to Fcglycans in IVIg, monoclonal antibodies, and other recombinant Fc-containingproteins, in a presentation entitled "Embracing Complexity: Understanding IVIgto Rationally Engineer Novel Therapeutics". The presentation will be given byTony Manning, Ph.D., Vice President of Research at Momenta, at 12:10 pm onMonday, May 5, 2014 at the PEGS annual meeting in Boston.Momenta has thoroughly characterized a wide range of IVIg preparations tounderstand the detailed composition of this plasma-derived product. Usingmolecular, cellular, and animal models of disease, supplemented by an analysisof samples from human patients treated with IVIg, the company has developed adetailed understanding of the biological basis for the therapeutic effects ofIVIg. Momenta scientists now have a broad and comprehensive understanding ofthe composition of IVIg and its mechanism of action as an anti-inflammatorytherapeutic. This research has informed the company's approach to the rationaldesign of several novel, differentiated therapeutic agents.Momenta has also optimized the process for applying site-specific sialylationto Fc glycans in antibodies, including IVIg and monoclonal antibodies, as wellas other recombinant Fc-containing proteins. In his presentation, Dr. Manningwill present data that demonstrate the enhanced anti-inflammatory activity ofthese sialylated agents across a broad range of animal models of autoimmunedisease, including inflammatory arthritis, immune thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP), pemphigus, and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).Finally, Dr. Manning will discuss how this research has led to approaches forrationally engineering other novel recombinant product candidates whichdisplay potential as broad anti-inflammatory therapeutics.