WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- AltaRex Corp. (AXO.TO, ALXFF.OTC)
is presenting today at the Engineered Antibodies conference "Accelerating Drug
Discovery and Development" at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia. The Conference
brings together top industry researchers to discuss the science of antibodies
and the latest developments in the novel application of antibodies as
therapeutics.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000831/ALTREXLOGO )
Birgit Schultes, Ph.D., Executive Director of Research at AltaRex, will
review the Company's novel technology approach, based on the intravenous
administration of low dose, fully foreign antibodies that target specific
cancer associated antigens in circulation. Dr. Schultes will also discuss the
translation of this antibody approach to clinical practice as evidenced by
positive results from the OvaRex(R) MAb (oregovomab) clinical development
program in advanced ovarian cancer.
A likely topic of discussion at the Conference will be one of the
historical challenges to the monoclonal antibody (MAb) field -- the shedding
by tumors of associated antigens into the bloodstream. In circulation, these
shed tumor antigens can interfere with monoclonal antibodies that directly
target tumors, by binding to and clearing the antibodies before they can reach
the tumor to provide direct pharmacological effect. In contrast, AltaRex
engineers its monoclonal antibodies to target shed tumor associated antigens
in circulation. Efficacy derives from binding the circulating tumor antigens
(self) with AltaRex's monoclonal antibodies (foreign) to elicit immune
responses against the targeted antigen, both in circulation and on the tumor.
In OvaRex(R) clinical trials to date, activation of immune responses to
the antigen-antibody complex (CA125-OvaRex(R) MAb) has been observed in over
50% of OvaRex(R) treated patients. Nearly 400 patients at various stages of
advanced ovarian cancer have been treated, with time to relapse and survival
as definitive endpoints. Beneficial treatment effect and benign safety have
been demonstrated across multiple trials reported to date. A validated quality
of life (QOL) survey was conducted for one completed study, and survey results
showed that not only was QOL maintained for OvaRex(R) patients, but there was
a significant difference in QOL in favor of OvaRex(R) MAb versus placebo on
three of four domains.
The compilation of OvaRex(R) data from six clinical studies in over 500
ovarian cancer patients in both remission (watchful waiting) and recurrent
disease will form the basis of the OvaRex(R) Biologics License Application
(BLA), for which AltaRex will seek priority review and full and/or accelerated
approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company expects
to initiate its OvaRex(R) MAb BLA early in 2002, assuming timely scale-up of
cell culture manufacturing. The Company's low dose antibodies have been
engineered in protein-free medium, allowing for low cost, state of the art
manufacturing.
In addition to CA125, AltaRex has four other tumor associated antigen
targets: MUC1, PSA, CA19.9 and TAG 72. As resources allow, the Company
intends to study its foreign monoclonal antibodies (BrevaRex(R),
ProstaRex(TM), GivaRex(TM) and AR54, respectively) against these antigen
targets and their associated tumors; the Company plans to advance BrevaRex(R)
MAb into Phase I/II clinical study for the treatment of multiple myeloma, a
MUC1 associated cancer, during the first half of 2002. Toxicities associated
with use of chemotherapy agents against these cancers warrant the
investigation of new, more benign treatments capable of extending life and
quality of life. Based on recent clinical trial results with OvaRex(R) MAb,
AltaRex believes that its antibodies can achieve "priming" of the immune
system prior to the initiation of chemotherapy and can maintain clinically
beneficial immune responses even in the presence of chemotherapy.
More about AltaRex research and development of antigen-targeted
anti-cancer antibodies, clinical trials, news and events can be found on the
website http://www.altarex.com.
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, uncertainties regarding the timely and successful
completion of clinical trials, patient enrollment rates, uncertainty of pre-
clinical, retrospective, early and interim clinical trial results, which may
not be indicative of results that will be obtained in ongoing or future
clinical trials, whether the Company will file for regulatory approval on a
timely basis, uncertainties as to when, if at all, the FDA will approve the
Company's regulatory filings for its products, the need to establish and
scale-up manufacturing processes, the need to obtain and maintain corporate
alliances, uncertainty as to the timely development 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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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.,
+1-781-672-0138, ext. 1510, or shenrichon@altarex.com; or Wayne
Hendry, Investor Relations of The Equicom Group Inc.,
+1-416-815-0700, ext. 238, or whendry@equicomgroup.com
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