- Blood Journal Publication Supports Multiple Myeloma Strategy -
WALTHAM, Mass., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- AltaRex Corp.
(Toronto: AXO, OTC: ALRXF) presents today final analyses of clinical data from
a 17 patient clinical trial of its monoclonal antibody BrevaRex(R) at the 42nd
Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000831/ALTREXLOGO )
The Phase I trial was conducted in late-stage cancer patients with
substantial tumor burden by Dr. Tolcher at the Cancer Therapy Research Center
in San Antonio. The study focused on the safety and immunology of three
different doses.
Treatment with BrevaRex(R) MAb was well tolerated and without significant
treatment associated toxicity. Immune responses were induced to both the
antibody and the tumor associated antigen MUC1, to which BrevaRex(R) MAb is
targeted. Both T and B cell responses were measured with T cell studies
having been conducted by Dr. Whiteside at the University of Pittsburgh.
Fifteen of the 17 patients were evaluable. Overall, 5 of 15 patients
developed human anti-mouse antibody, or HAMA, while 5 of 15 developed an
immune response specific to the BrevaRex(R) MAb and 7 of 15 developed an
antibody response to MUC1. Most importantly, 5 of 11 patients mounted a T
cell response to MUC1, of which 3 of the 5 were at the 2 mg dose level. These
immune responses are consistent with the Company's understanding of its
proprietary mechanism for using a low dose foreign antibody to induce immunity
in cancer patients.
Immune responses were highest in the 2 mg patient cohort (1, 2 and 4 mg
were evaluated). Although assessment of efficacy was not the focus of the
trial due to the very late-stage condition of the patients, there was some
correlation between the anti-MUC1 immune response and a decrease or
stabilization of MUC1, with the best results from the 2 mg dose cohort. The 2
mg dose has been selected for further clinical study for efficacy in patients
with multiple myeloma.
In a related publication in the ASH Journal, Blood (November 1), the
authors measured soluble MUC1, the target of the BrevaRex(R) MAb, from
patients with multiple myeloma as well as healthy patients. They concluded
that in multiple myeloma, soluble MUC1 levels are elevated and correlate with
disease burden, whereas anti-MUC1 antibody levels are decreased. The Company
believes that, based on the immune responses from Phase I study, multiple
myeloma would be an ideal patient population to test BrevaRex(R) MAb.
Like OvaRex(TM) MAb for ovarian cancer, the Company believes that a
BrevaRex(R) clinical development program in multiple myeloma, where therapy
options are limited, can be accelerated under U.S. regulations. The Company
has generated antibody for the next clinical trial expected to be conducted in
the second half of next year. The Company is anticipating that if favorable
results are obtained from this trial, it would be in a position to conduct
Phase II/IIb trials for registration.
AltaRex Corp. is focused exclusively on antibodies as immunotherapeutics
and on the research, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics
for the treatment of cancer. AltaRex preclinical and clinical data support
its proprietary technology of using low dose foreign antibody to induce
immunity and provide for a novel anti-tumor response. The Company has five
antibody-based products in various stages of development; most advanced is
OvaRex(TM) MAb for ovarian cancer.
Additional information about AltaRex research and development, news and
events can be found on its web site at http://www.altarex.com. Clinical information
can also be found on the CenterWatch web site at http://www.centerwatch.com.
Additional information about ovarian cancer can be found at
http://www.ovariancanada.org and at http://www.ovarian.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 forgoing, 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 the need for capital, changing market
conditions, completion of clinical trials, patient enrollment rates,
uncertainty of preclinical, retrospective and early clinical trial results,
such as the results described above 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.
NEITHER THE ONTARIO SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE
HAVE APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.
SOURCE AltaRex Corp.
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Related links:
http://www.altarex.com
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Company News On-Call:
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800-758-5804, ext. 128163
CONTACT:
Sondra Henrichon, Director, Investor
Relations and Corporate Communications of AltaRex Corp.,
781-672-0138, ext. 5110, or shenrichon@altarex.com; or Wayne
Hendry, Investor Relations of The Equicom Group, Inc,
416-815-0700, ext. 238, or whendry@equicomgroup.com
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