AltaRex Submits IND for OVAREX(TM) Vaccine Phase II/III Clinical Trial in Canada.EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 1996--ALTAREX CORPORATION (Alberta Stock Exchange Alberta Stock Exchange See Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX). : AEX AEX See: Amsterdam Exchange ) AltaRex Corporation, (the "Corporation", "AltaRex") announced today it has filed an IND submission with the Health Protection Branch of Canada ("HPB HPB Health Promotion Board (Singapore) HPB Hrvatska Poštanska Banka (Croatian Post Bank) HPB Half Price Books (retail store) HPB High Ping Bastard ") for a Phase II/III clinical trial of its lead product OVAREX(TM) vaccine. The randomized ran·dom·ize tr.v. ran·dom·ized, ran·dom·iz·ing, ran·dom·iz·es To make random in arrangement, especially in order to control the variables in an experiment. , blinded, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted in numerous major cancer centres across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax. The Corporation intends to enroll more than 200 patients with advanced ovarian cancer ovarian cancer Malignant tumour of the ovaries. Risk factors include early age of first menstruation (before age 12), late onset of menopause (after age 52), absence of pregnancy, presence of specific genetic mutations, use of fertility drugs, and personal history of breast in this study. "We are very pleased to achieve this important milestone, and to be able to bring the benefits of the technology we have tested in Europe for a number of years to North America," said Dr. A. Noujaim, the Corporation's President and C.E.O. The OVAREX(TM) vaccine, which has now been administered to more than 100 patients in Germany, is based on the concept of Anti- idiotype id·i·o·type n. A determinant that confers on an immunoglobulin molecule an antigenic individuality that is analogous to the individuality of the molecule's antibody activity. Induction Therapy (A.I.T.(TM)). OVAREX(TM), which was discovered in Canada and is manufactured for the Corporation by Merck-Frosst Canada, allows the patient's body to fight cancer by creating mimics of the original cancer antigens expressed after the appearance of the disease. This process enhances a specific stimulation of the body's immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. against the cancer cells. The Corporation anticipates the initiation of a Phase II/III clinical trial for OVAREX(TM) in Europe in the fourth quarter of this year. AltaRex is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development and commercialization of products for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer based on the Corporation's A.I.T.(TM) platform technology. The Corporation is also developing products for the treatment of breast and colorectal cancers. The common shares of AltaRex Corporation trade on the Alberta Stock Exchange under the symbol AEX. -0- THE ALBERTA STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. CONTACT: AltaRex Corporation Dr. Antoine A. Noujaim, 403/492-8917 or AltaRex Corporation William R. Mc Mahan, M.Sc., 800/776-9269 |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion