CELLPRO AND HUTCHINSON CENTER BEGIN TUMOR-CELL DEPLETION STUDY.SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 1995--CellPro Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : CPRO CPRO Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization CPRO Connecticut Peer Review Organization, Inc. ) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center announced today that they had begun a pilot clinical trial in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia chronic lymphocytic leukemia n. Abbr. CLL Lymphocytic leukemia occurring mainly in older adults, characterized by slow onset and gradual progression of symptoms. (CLL CLL abbr. chronic lymphocytic leukemia CLL, n.pr See leukemia, chronic lymphocytic. CLL 1. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia 2. Cholesterol-lowering lipid ). The study is designed to demonstrate that the ability of CellPro's CEPRATE SC Stem Cell stem cell In living organisms, an undifferentiated cell that can produce other cells that eventually make up specialized tissues and organs. There are two major types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. Concentration System to positively select CD34 antigen-expressing stem cells stem cells, unspecialized human or animal cells that can produce mature specialized body cells and at the same time replicate themselves. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst (the blastula typical of placental mammals; see embryo), which is very young from peripheral blood also results in a significant depletion of tumor cells from the resulting stem cell transplant. The principal investigator for the study is Peter A. McSweeney, MD, associate in clinical research at the Hutchinson Center. Primary objectives of the 15-patient pilot trial are to evaluate the ability of the CEPRATE SC System to purge CLL cells from the peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC PBSC Peripheral Blood Stem Cell PBSC Performance-Based Service Contracting PBSC Pro Bono Students Canada PBSC Polar Bear Software Company PBSC Public Buildings and Site Commission ) graft and to evaluate engraftment engraftment /en·graft·ment/ (en-graft´ment) incorporation of grafted tissue into the body of the host. Engraftment The process of transplanted stem cells reproducing new cells. after PBSC transplantation. This is the third tumor cell-depletion indication being evaluated in clinical trials by CellPro. The CD34 antigen is a surface marker for the hematopoietic hematopoietic /he·ma·to·poi·et·ic/ (-poi-et´ik) 1. pertaining to hematopoiesis. 2. an agent that promotes hematopoiesis. hematopoietic 1. pertaining to or affecting the formation of blood cells. (blood-forming) stem and early progenitor cells that are essential for post-transplant engraftment in the bone marrow and renewal of the immune and blood systems. Because the antigen is believed not to be expressed on malignant leukemia cells, or their potential precursors, positive selection of CD34+ stem cells should result in a significant depletion of tumor cells from the PBSC population. CellPro's CEPRATE SC System will be used to prepare CD34+ stem cell transplants by isolating and purifying these hematopoietic cells from each patient's peripheral blood prior to chemotherapy. Following high dose chemotherapy, each patient in the study will undergo PBSC transplantation in an effort to restore their marrow. Patients will then be followed for engraftment, response and survival outcomes. "We believe that CLL is relatively sensitive to transplant conditioning regimens and that effective graft purification strategies could have potential for curing these patients, or significantly extending their life expectancy," said Dr. McSweeney. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common form of leukemia. Depending on stage of disease, CLL complications can range from asymptomatic in early-stage disease to rapid progression of bone marrow failure in high risk groups. While conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are virtually ineffective in high-risk CLL patients, research suggests patients may benefit from more intensive therapy followed by autologous autologous /au·tol·o·gous/ (aw-tol´ah-gus) related to self; belonging to the same organism. au·tol·o·gous adj. 1. PBSC transplantation to rebuild the blood and immune systems. CellPro is conducting additional purging trials in patients with multiple myeloma and small cell lung cancer Lung Cancer, Small Cell Definition Small cell lung cancer is a disease in which the cells of the lung tissues grow uncontrollably and form tumors. Description Lung cancer is divided into two main types: small cell and non-small cell. . The CEPRATE SC System is designed to isolate and purify CD34+ stem cells from patients' peripheral blood or bone marrow. The system uses a patented avidin-biotin binding system to obtain sufficient quantities of stem cells for use in reconstituting bone marrow cells following cancer chemotherapy and in other stem cell-related therapies affecting the blood and immune systems. Additionally, the CEPRATE SC System is a valuable cell-separation tool for research in gene therapy. The CEPRATE SC System has been commercially available in Europe since 1993. It is being used by approximately 100 stem cell transplant teams in 14 European countries, Israel and Canada. It is currently being tested in over 60 clinical trials in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia for various applications including gene therapy. A premarketing approval application for use of the CEPRATE SC for hematopoietic support in cancer-related therapies in the U.S. is being amended for resubmission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Located in Bothell, Wash., CellPro Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in the development, manufacturing and marketing of proprietary continuous-flow, cell-selection systems for use in a variety of therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications. CONTACT: CellPro Inc. Lee M. Parker, 206/485-7644 or Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Susan Edmonds, 206/667-2896 |
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