FREMONT, Calif., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Abgenix, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABGX)
announced today a collaboration with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute
of Infectious Diseases ("USAMRIID") to develop antibodies that could
potentially protect U.S. troops during biological warfare. Under the
agreement, USAMRIID will use the company's XenoMouse technology to make fully
human monoclonal antibodies against filoviruses. Filoviruses, such as Ebola
virus and Marburg virus, pose a potential threat to U.S. security since they
can be used as biological weapons.
"Treatments for infection by filoviruses are of increasing interest and
importance due to the high mortality rate of individuals infected with such
viruses," stated R. Scott Greer, president and chief executive officer of
Abgenix. "We are delighted to be contributing to the Army's efforts to supply
troops with countermeasures to these potential weapons."
Recent data indicate that antibody therapy may be a viable means of
treating a filovirus infection. Data from the Zaire outbreak of 1995 suggest
that antibody therapy may have contributed to the survival of seven of the
eight individuals who received whole blood from recovering patients who
survived an infection of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. In addition, data from
animal models indicate that neutralizing antibodies specific for filoviruses,
which were generated by immunization with experimental vaccines, were shown to
provide protection against filovirus infection in such animal models.
Antibodies are immune system proteins that can combat many diseases,
including infection by viruses. Upon being bound by an antibody, a virus can
be blocked from causing damage to normal cells and eliminated from the body.
As therapeutic products, monoclonal antibodies have several potential
advantages over other therapies. The highly specific interaction between an
antibody and its target may, for example, reduce unwanted side effects that
plague other therapies. In addition, human or human-like antibodies may
persist in patients for several weeks as compared to hours or days for
traditional pharmaceuticals.
USAMRIID, located at Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the lead medical
laboratory for the U.S. Army Biological Defense Research Program, and plays a
key role in national defense and in infectious disease research. The
Institute's mission is to develop medical countermeasures, specifically
vaccines, drugs and diagnostics, to protect U.S. service members from
biological warfare agents and endemic infectious diseases.
Abgenix is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and intends to
commercialize antibody therapeutic products for the treatment of a variety of
disease conditions, including transplant-related diseases, inflammatory and
autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Abgenix has
developed XenoMouse technology, which it believes enables quick generation of
high affinity, fully human antibody product candidates to essentially any
disease target appropriate for antibody therapy. Abgenix has collaborative
arrangements with multiple pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
involving its XenoMouse technology. In addition, Abgenix has four proprietary
antibody product candidates that are under development internally, two of
which are in human clinical trials.
Statements made in this press release about the collaboration with
USAMRIID and the potential of antibodies as a treatment for filovirus
infection, Abgenix's XenoMouse technology, product development activities and
collaborative arrangements other than statements of historical fact, are
forward looking statements and are subject to a number of uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made,
including risks associated with the success of clinical trials, the progress
of research and product development programs, the regulatory approval process,
competitive products, future capital requirements and the extent and breadth
of Abgenix's patent portfolio. Please see Abgenix's public filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission for information about risks which may
affect Abgenix.
SOURCE Abgenix, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.abgenix.com
CONTACT:
investors, Amy B. Giller, 415-677-4455, ext.
206, or media, Amy Flood, 415-677-4455, ext. 211, both of
Noonan/Russo Communications, for Abgenix, Inc.; or Kurt
Leutzinger, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
Abgenix, Inc., 510-608-6575
|
