WALTHAM, Mass., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- AltaRex Corp. (AXO.TO, ALXFF.OTC)
announced today the publication of OvaRex(R) MAb clinical and laboratory data
demonstrating its novel mechanism of action in the journal "Cancer Biotherapy
and Radiopharmaceuticals" (Volume 16, Number 3, 2001). The data are derived
in part from an analysis of 100 OvaRex(R) treated ovarian cancer patients in
Germany who were followed for immune response.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000831/ALTREXLOGO )
Early in the development program for OvaRex(R) MAb, observed clinical
benefit was attributed by investigators to the network theory of antibody
induction, or the idiotypic network. The published data demonstrate that the
classical idiotype network is operative, but is not the dominant mechanism of
OvaRex(R) MAb. The paper presents considerable evidence for antibody
(OvaRex(R))-mediated antigen processing and presentation of tumor associated
antigen (CA125) with immune recognition that results in multi-epitopic,
antigen (CA125)-specific B and T cell responses. Notably, AltaRex was
recently (June 2001) issued a U.S. patent for the method of treatment with
OvaRex(R) MAb that elicits this predominant "multi-epitopic" response
mechanism.
As discussed in the paper, analysis of patient samples from
pharmacokinetic studies demonstrates that OvaRex(R) MAb forms immune complexes
in circulation with the ovarian cancer associated antigen CA125 within 30
minutes of a 2 mg injection of the antibody. In patients treated in Germany,
induction of humoral and cellular anti-CA125 responses positively correlate
with the level or amount of circulating CA125 present at the time of OvaRex(R)
administration. Patient generated anti-CA125 antibodies are directed against
various epitopes, or binding sites, on CA125 and are not restricted to the
specific epitope recognized by OvaRex(R) MAb. Resulting CA125-specific B and
T cell responses to OvaRex(R) MAb correlate with improved survival. The
influence of circulating CA125 for the induction of CA125-specific immune
responses and the multi-epitopic nature of the patient generated anti-CA125
antibodies suggest that the majority of these anti-CA125 antibodies are not
induced by the idiotype network, but rather by antigen (CA125) processing
itself. Since antibody and T cell responses to CA125 are generally not
present before OvaRex(R) treatment, complex formation of circulating antigen
(CA125) with antibody (OvaRex(R) MAb) triggers the induction of antigen
(CA125)-specific immune responses that are associated with clinical benefit.
"A major challenge for a small biotechnology company with contrarian
observations is to enter mainstream dialogue," commented Richard E. Bagley,
President and CEO of AltaRex. "With this publication, we achieve peer review
attention, assessment and ultimately, I believe, we will achieve acceptance of
our novel antibody mechanism and its application for treating cancer. The
data presented in this paper provide compelling evidence for AltaRex's
innovative approach for using antibodies as cancer vaccines or, more
specifically, using antibody-mediated antigen processing to induce humoral and
cellular responses to all of the epitopes of the targeted self or tumor
associated antigen. This data, coupled with the previously reported OvaRex(R)
MAb generation of both MHC class I and II- restricted T cells to the patients
own tumor, will provide important support for our OvaRex(R) U.S. Biologics
License Application, which we expect to file late this year or early next
year."
A lead author of the published paper is Antoine A. Noujaim, Ph.D.,
AltaRex's founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr.
Noujaim will be recognized in November of this year with an honorary Doctor of
Science degree by the University of Alberta for his work in using antibodies
as anti-cancer immunotherapies. Dr. Noujaim is professor emeritus at the
University, engaged in both teaching and research. He is recognized
internationally as a pioneer in the field of radiopharmacy.
More about AltaRex research and development, clinical trials, news and
events can be found on its web site at http://www.altarex.com. AltaRex Corp. is
traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AXO, and over-the-
counter in the United States under the symbol ALXFF. Additional information
about ovarian cancer can be found at http://www.nci.nih.gov, http://www.ovarian.org.,
http://www.ovariancancer.org and at http://www.ovariancanada.org. Additional information
about multiple myeloma can be found at the http://www.multiplemyeloma.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 our need for capital and the risk that the
Company can not raise funds on a timely basis on satisfactory terms or at all,
changing market conditions, completion of clinical trials, patient enrollment
rates, uncertainty of pre-clinical, retrospective and early clinical trial
results, which may not be indicative of results that will be obtained in
ongoing or future clinical trials, 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.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.altarex.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000831/ALTREXLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/128163.html
CONTACT:
Sondra Henrichon, Director, Investor
Relations and Corporate Communications of AltaRex Corp.,
781-672-0138, ext. 1510, or shenrichon@altarex.com; or Wayne
Hendry, Investor Relations of The Equicom Group, Inc.,
416-815-0700, ext. 238, or whendry@equicomgroup.com
|
