Bionovo Inc. (Nasdaq: BNVI) today announced the publication of results from a study demonstrating the three distinct classes of genes regulated by estrogen receptor beta (ERB). The results are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. This is an important discovery for future development of selective drugs regulating this pathway.
"Finding ways to prevent breast cancer requires a greater understanding of how the two estrogen receptors work. When ERa is activated by estrogens it results in an increased risk for breast and uterine cancer. The other estrogen receptor, ERB, counteracts the cancer promoting property of ERa in breast cancer cells suggesting that drugs that activate ERB might prevent cancers," said Dr. Dale Leitman, M.D., Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley and Bionovo's Scientific Advisory Board Member. "This study identifies genes that are regulated by ERB. We found these genes are regulated by a different mechanism than ERa. These results are important step towards discovering ERB selective compounds that may regulate genes that block the cancer promoting effects of ERa."