LOS ANGELES, April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Immunomedics, Inc.
(Nasdaq: IMMU), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing
monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer and other serious diseases, today
presented at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer
Research results on the in vitro and in vivo evaluation of a novel
immunotoxin, Rap-hRS7, for the potential treatment of prostate and lung
cancers.
The in vitro cytotoxicity of Rap-hRS7 on Calu-3 human lung and PC-3
human prostate cancers was 50- and 30-fold higher than free RNase, and 10-
to 20- fold more potent than an irrelevant immunotoxin. When given as a
single dose of 50-micrograms to mice bearing the Calu-3 human lung cancer
cell line, Rap-hRS7 was able to almost double the median survival time (96
vs. 55 days) compared to the untreated group. Similar therapeutic efficacy
was observed in animals given two 25-microgram doses one week apart.
Rap-hRS7 was constructed by fusing an amphibian RNase to hRS7, an
internalizing humanized antibody targeting epithelial glycoprotein-1
(EGP-1), which is expressed in high amounts in certain human cancer cell
lines such as PC-3 of prostate cancer, Calu-3 of non-small-cell lung
cancer, and ME180 of cervical cancer, as well as similar patient tumor
specimens.
"These encouraging results provide a rationale for the further
development of Rap-hRS7 as a therapy for prostate, lung and other EGP-1
expressing cancers," commented Cynthia L. Sullivan, President and Chief
Executive Officer. "We plan to introduce this recombinant immunotoxin into
the clinic for the therapy of prostate and lung cancers. In addition to
Rap-hRS7, the hRS7 antibody provides us the opportunity to study the impact
on prostate and lung cancers of a number of conjugated compounds," Ms.
Sullivan remarked.
About hRS7
hRS7 is a humanized monoclonal antibody proprietary to Immunomedics
that targets epithelial glycoprotein-1 (EGP-1), which has higher expression
in prostate, lung, breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers as compared to
normal tissues. The antibody has also been shown to internalize into cancer
cells, making it a suitable candidate for delivery of cytotoxic drugs. By
conjugating the RNA-degrading enzyme, RNase, to the humanized antibody
targeting EGP-1, scientists at Immunomedics have demonstrated selective
killing of cancers expressing the EGP-1 biomarker, including prostate and
lung cancers. Immunomedics has been granted patents and has many pending
patents covering the construction and use of RNase-bearing antibodies for
the therapy of cancer and other diseases.
About Immunomedics
Immunomedics is a New Jersey-based biopharmaceutical company focused on
the development of monoclonal, antibody-based products for the targeted
treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases. We have
developed a number of advanced proprietary technologies that allow us to
create humanized antibodies that can be used either alone in unlabeled or
"naked" form, or conjugated with radioactive isotopes, chemotherapeutics or
toxins, in each case to create highly targeted agents. Using these
technologies, we have built a pipeline of therapeutic product candidates
that utilize several different mechanisms of action. We have recently
licensed our lead product candidate, epratuzumab, to UCB, S.A. for the
treatment of all autoimmune disease indications worldwide. We have retained
the rights for epratuzumab in oncology indications for which UCB has been
granted a buy-in option. UCB has development, manufacture and
commercialization rights, and is responsible for all clinical trials
evaluating epratuzumab for the treatment of patients with moderate and
severe lupus. At present, there is no cure for lupus and no new lupus drug
has been approved in the U.S. in the last 40 years. The Company is
conducting clinical trials with hA20 in patients with non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma, epratuzumab as a potential therapeutic for patients with lymphoma
and leukemia, (90)Y-epratuzumab for the therapy of patients with lymphoma,
(90)Y-hPAM4 for pancreas cancer therapy and hCD74 as a therapy for patients
with multiple myeloma. We believe that our portfolio of intellectual
property, which includes approximately 108 patents issued in the United
States, and more than 250 other issued patents worldwide, protects our
product candidates and technologies. We also have a majority ownership in
IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is developing a novel Dock and Lock (DNL)
methodology, and a new method of delivering imaging and therapeutic agents
selectively to disease, especially different solid cancers (colorectal,
lung, pancreas, etc.), by proprietary, antibody-based, pretargeting
methods. Visit our web site at http://www.immunomedics.com.
This release, in addition to historical information, may contain
forward- looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements, including statements
regarding clinical trials, out-licensing arrangements (including the timing
and amount of contingent payments), forecasts of future operating results,
and capital raising activities, involve significant risks and uncertainties
and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied
herein. Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not
limited to, risks associated with new product development (including
clinical trials outcome and regulatory requirements/actions), competitive
risks to marketed products and availability of required financing and other
sources of funds on acceptable terms, if at all, as well as the risks
discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Company is not under any obligation, and the Company
expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
For More Information:
Dr. Chau Cheng
Associate Director, Investor Relations & Business Analysis
(973) 605-8200, extension 123
ccheng@immunomedics.com
SOURCE Immunomedics, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.immunomedics.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/113121.html /
CONTACT:
Dr. Chau Cheng, Associate Director, Investor
Relations & Business Analysis, of Immunomedics, Inc.,
+1-973-605-8200, ext. 123, or ccheng@immunomedics.com
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