WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- AltaRex Corp.
(TSE: AXO, OTC: ALRXF) today reported the final results of one of its
OvaRex(R) Phase II trials conducted by Thomas Ehlen, MD, FRCSC, at the
Vancouver Cancer Center in British Columbia. The Company also announced
preliminary results of a second OvaRex(R) Phase II trial conducted by Alan
Gordon, MD, of US Oncology in Houston, Texas. Both trials address patients
with very advanced recurrent ovarian cancer where the future prognosis is
extraordinarily poor.
In the Vancouver study, six of thirteen OvaRex(R) treated patients
survived 50 weeks or longer without any significant OvaRex(R) associated
toxicity, even though they had very advanced disease and had exhausted all
treatment alternatives. One of the six patients survived over two years and
two of the six patients are still alive almost two years later. By
comparison, approved "salvage" chemotherapies (Doxil(R), Hycamptin(R)) for
this population are generally expected to provide a survival benefit of
approximately one year, but in contrast to OvaRex(R) MAb, are associated with
significant toxicities.
In the Dallas study, patients receive OvaRex(R) MAb followed by "salvage"
chemotherapy and then a final dose of OvaRex(R) MAb. This population is at a
somewhat earlier stage of disease than the Vancouver trial, thereby allowing
for this study design. The Company has preliminary results from four of an
eventual twelve patients, three of whom have received subsequent chemotherapy.
As of December 1, 2000 these patients have remained progression free for
greater than 50 weeks, 39 weeks, 36 weeks (patient progressed) and 18 weeks
without apparent OvaRex(R) associated toxicity. Like the Vancouver trial, all
twelve patients will be followed to survival. Also similar to the Vancouver
trial, three of the four patients mounted a biological response indicating
that the patients are able to respond to OvaRex(R) treatment at this late
stage of disease.
"These results validate the Company's previously announced decision to
pursue U.S. regulatory approval of OvaRex(R) MAb for the recurrent disease
patient population," noted Richard E. Bagley, President and CEO of AltaRex
Corp. "More than 400 ovarian cancer sufferers in North America have been
participating in OvaRex(R) clinical trials for recurrent and watchful waiting
indications of ovarian cancer. In addition to the Vancouver trial, we expect
to report on results from another five studies (including Dallas) in both the
watchful waiting and recurrent disease populations during 2001. The Company
plans to use these results as part of its submission of its Biologics License
Application for OvaRex(R) MAb to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."
AltaRex Corp. is focused exclusively on the research, development and
commercialization of antibody-based immunotherapeutic products to prolong life
and reduce the suffering associated with late-stage cancers. Data from
clinical studies of its product candidates suggest that through multiple
mechanisms, AltaRex's proprietary technology enhances the ability of the human
immune system to produce an anti-tumor response. The company has five
antibody-based products in various stages of development. The most advanced
product is OvaRex(R) MAb, in late stage clinical development for the treatment
of ovarian cancer.
Additional information about AltaRex research and development, news and
events can be found on its web site at http://www.altarex.com. Clinical information
can also be found on the CenterWatch web site at http://www.centerwarch.com.
Additional information about ovarian cancer can be found at http://www.nci.nih.gov,
http://www.ovariancanada.org and at http://www.ovarian.org.
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from
the statements made. For this purpose, any statements that are contained
herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-
looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes,"
"anticipates," "plans," "intends," "expects" and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to uncertainty of pre-clinical, retrospective and
early clinical trial results, such as the results described above which may
not be indicative of results that will be obtained in ongoing or future
clinical trials, our need for capital and the risk that the Company cannot
raise funds on a timely basis on satisfactory terms or at all, changing market
conditions, completion of clinical trials, patient enrollment rates, the
establishment of manufacturing processes and new corporate alliances, the
timely development, regulatory approval and market acceptance of the Company's
products, uncertainty as to whether patents will issue from pending patent
applications and, if issued, as to whether such patents will be sufficiently
broad to protect the Company's technology, and other risks detailed from time-
to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and Canadian securities authorities.
THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN.
SOURCE AltaRex Corp.
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CONTACT:
Sondra Henrichon, Director, Investor
Relations and Corporate Communications of AltaRex Corp.,
781-672-0138, ext. 5110, shenrichon@altarex.com; or Wayne Hendry,
Investor Relations of The Equicom Group, Inc, 416-815-0700, ext.
238, whendry@equicomgroup.com, http://www.investorlook.com
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