Trofile to be used to screen patients for clinical program of monoclonal
antibody to CCR5
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Monogram Biosciences, Inc., (Nasdaq: MGRM) announced today that it had
entered into an agreement with Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:
PGNX) to provide resistance and tropism testing for Progenics' clinical
development program of PRO 140, an investigational CCR5 monoclonal antibody
being studied for the treatment of HIV. In its ongoing phase 2 studies,
Progenics is using Monogram's Trofile(TM) tropism test to screen and
monitor HIV infected individuals whose virus uses the CCR5 receptor as a
portal of entry to healthy cells. Progenics is also using Monogram's
PhenoSense GT(TM) assay to measure viral resistance to drugs from other
HIV-1 treatment classes.
"We are pleased to play such an important role in the development of
this promising new HIV therapy," said Chris Petropoulos, Monogram's Chief
Scientific Officer. "Monogram continues to help pave the path for many of
the most highly anticipated new HIV drugs in development."
Trofile is a patient selection co-receptor tropism assay that
determines whether a patient is infected with a strain of HIV that uses the
CCR5 co- receptor, the CXCR4 co-receptor, or a combination of CCR5 and
CXCR4 to enter cells. Trofile is the only clinically validated tropism
assay and has been used to select patients in all phase 2 and phase 3
studies of CCR5 antagonists to date.
About PRO 140
Progenics announced the start of the phase 2 program for PRO 140 in
January 2008. PRO 140 is a novel monoclonal antibody that binds CCR5 and is
designed to prevent HIV from entering immune system cells and thereby
prevent viral replication, which occurs within the cells. CCR5 is also a
receptor for chemokines, members of a family of protein molecules that are
secreted by cells as part of the body's natural inflammatory response.
Unlike small- molecule CCR5 antagonists, PRO 140 inhibits HIV entry at
concentrations that in vitro do not appear to block CCR5's natural
function, which includes, in part, directing the migration of immune cells
towards sites of inflammation in the body.
About Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of Tarrytown, NY, is a
biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and commercialization
of innovative therapeutic products to treat the unmet medical needs of
patients with debilitating conditions and life-threatening diseases.
Principal programs are directed toward gastroenterology as well as the
treatment of HIV infection and cancer. The Company, in collaboration with
Wyeth, is developing methylnaltrexone for the treatment of opioid-induced
side effects, including constipation (oral and subcutaneous formulations)
and post-operative ileus (intravenous formulation). In March 2007, the
Company submitted a New Drug Application to the United States Food and Drug
Administration for the subcutaneous formulation of methylnaltrexone for
patients suffering from opioid-induced constipation while receiving
palliative care, followed in May 2007 by Wyeth's submission of a Marketing
Authorization Application (MAA) in Europe to the European Medicines Agency
(EMEA). In the area of HIV infection, the Company is developing the
viral-entry inhibitor PRO 140, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting
the HIV entry co-receptor CCR5, which has completed phase 1b clinical
studies with positive results. In the area of prostate cancer, the Company
is developing a human monoclonal antibody drug conjugate -- a selectively
targeted cytotoxic antibody directed against prostate-specific membrane
antigen (PSMA), a protein found on the surface of prostate cancer cells.
Progenics is also developing vaccines designed to stimulate an immune
response to PSMA.
About Monogram
Monogram is a biotechnology company advancing individualized medicine
by discovering, developing and marketing innovative products to guide and
improve treatment of serious infectious diseases and cancer. The Company's
products are designed to help doctors optimize treatment regimens for their
patients that lead to better outcomes and reduced costs. The Company's
technology is also being used by numerous biopharmaceutical companies to
develop new and improved antiviral therapeutics and vaccines as well as
targeted cancer therapeutics. More information about the Company and its
technology can be found on its web site at http://www.monogrambio.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These
forward-looking statements include references to the demand for our testing
products, including our Trofile Assay, the potential use of our Trofile
Assay for patient selection for the class of HIV drugs known as CCR5
antagonists, the size and timing of Progenics' clinical trials utilizing
our products, the outlook for Progenics' investigational drug mentioned in
this release and for our testing products, expected protection provided by
patents, possible regulation of our products by the FDA. These
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other
factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the
anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
the risk that physicians may not use a molecular diagnostic for patient
selection for CCR5 antagonists or other HIV drugs; whether larger
confirmatory clinical studies will confirm the results of initial studies;
risks and uncertainties relating to the performance of our products; the
growth in revenues; the size, timing and success or failure of any clinical
trials for HIV drugs, such as Progenics' drug mentioned in this release;
the risk that our Trofile Assay may not be utilized for patient use with
CCR5 inhibitors; our ability to successfully conduct clinical studies and
the results obtained from those studies; our ability to establish reliable,
high-volume operations at commercially reasonable costs; expected reliance
on a few customers for the majority of our revenues; the annual renewal of
certain customer agreements; actual market acceptance of our products and
adoption of our technological approach and products by pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies; our estimate of the size of our markets; our
estimates of the levels of demand for our products; the impact of
competition; the timing and ultimate size of pharmaceutical company
clinical trials; whether payers will authorize reimbursement for our
products and services and the amount of such reimbursement that may be
allowed; whether the FDA or any other agency will decide to further
regulate our products or services, including Trofile; whether the draft
guidance on Multivariate Index Assays issued by FDA will be subsequently
determined to apply to our current or planned products; whether we will
encounter problems or delays in automating our processes; the ultimate
validity and enforceability of our patent applications and patents; the
possible infringement of the intellectual property of others; whether
licenses to third party technology will be available; whether we are able
to build brand loyalty and expand revenues; restrictions on the conduct of
our business imposed by the Pfizer, Merrill Lynch and other debt
agreements; the impact of additional dilution if our convertible debt is
converted to equity; and whether we will be able to raise sufficient
capital in the future, if required. For a discussion of other factors that
may cause actual events to differ from those projected, please refer to our
most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q,
as well as other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim any obligation,
to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of
anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such
statements.
Trofile and Phenosense GT are trademarks of Monogram Biosciences, Inc.
contacts: Alfred G. Merriweather Jeremiah Hall
Chief Financial Officer Feinstein Kean Healthcare
Tel: 650 624-4576 Tel: 415 677-2700
amerriweather@ jeremiah.hall@
monogrambio.com fkhealth.com
SOURCE Monogram Biosciences, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.monogrambio.com
CONTACT:
Alfred G. Merriweather, Chief Financial
Officer of Monogram Biosciences, Inc., +1-650-624-4576,
amerriweather@monogrambio.com; or Jeremiah Hall of Feinstein Kean
Healthcare, +1-415-677-2700, jeremiah.hall@fkhealth.com
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