CYTEL AND BAXTER ESTABLISH CLINICAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION FOR CANCER THERAPY.San Diego, CA, and Irvine, CA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 25, 1997-- Cytel Corporation (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 : CYTL) and the Immunotherapy Division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation's Biotech Group announced today that they have entered into a clinical research collaboration to develop an ex vivo ex vivo /ex vi·vo/ (eks´ ve´vo) outside the living body; denoting removal of an organ (e.g., the kidney) for reparative surgery, after which it is returned to the original site. cancer therapy. Under the collaboration, a Phase I/II pilot study will be initiated to assess the safety and potential effectiveness of treating malignant melanoma Malignant Melanoma Definition Malignant melanoma is a type of cancer arising from the melanocyte cells of the skin. Melanocytes are cells in the skin that produce a pigment called melanin. patients with tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL See control key. 1. CTL - Checkout Test language. 2. CTL - Compiler Target Language. 3. CTL - Computational Tree Logic ) produced from patient T-cells and activated with peptide epitopes outside the body. Under the agreement, Cytel will provide melanoma-specific, CTL-stimulatory epitope epitope: see immunity. peptides. Baxter will provide cell separation systems and associated culture technology. Cytel and Baxter will jointly fund the study which will be conducted by Dr. John Nemunaitis of Physician Reliance Network, Inc. (PRN (PRiNter) The DOS name for the first connected parallel port. See DOS device names. ) in Dallas, Texas, through PRN Research, Inc. PRN Research provides access to clinical research studies for PRN affiliated physician practices. This ex vivo cellular therapy is a multi-stage process. Cells will be collected from the patient and cultured to produce a population of dendritic cells. These dendritic cells will be exposed to Cytel's tumor-specific peptide epitopes, or antigens. The dendritic cells will then be used, ex vivo, to elicit a targeted anti-tumor response by the patient's T-cells. Following stimulation, the T-cells will be reinfused into the patient. Overall, the process will result in an expanded population of CTLs with the potential to target tumor cells and destroy them. "Ex vivo therapy ex vivo therapy Molecular medicine A therapy in which cells or genes are modified out of the body and reintroduced into a person with a genetic disease. See Gene therapy. offers a means of generating an active CTL immune response immune response n. An integrated bodily response to an antigen, especially one mediated by lymphocytes and involving recognition of antigens by specific antibodies or previously sensitized lymphocytes. directed against the tumor in late-stage cancer patients who are unable, due to a suppressed 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. , to mount their own response," said Dr. Robert Chesnut, Vice President, Immune Stimulation at Cytel. "There is substantial evidence from animal models which demonstrate that specifically activated CTLs can eliminate solid tumors. This study is the first to be conducted using peptide epitopes to activate CTL ex vivo, and it represents an initial step toward developing CTL therapies for treating late-stage cancer." "Baxter's cell selection devices will be used with other proprietary Baxter technology to select and expand the number of tumor-targeted T-cells from the patients," said Dr. Dennis Van Epps, Vice President, Research at Baxter's Immunotherapy Division. "We believe this approach to enhancing the activity of the patient's immune system has great potential for the treatment of cancer." Cytel Corporation is a leader in the discovery and development of cell adhesion inhibitors for treatment of acute and chronic inflammation chronic inflammation n. Inflammation that may have a rapid or slow onset but is characterized primarily by its persistence and lack of clear resolution; it occurs when the tissues are unable to overcome the effects of the injuring agent. , and its Glytec unit is a leader in the manufacture of bioactive carbohydrates for use in medical and consumer products. Cytel is in the process of establishing a new company which will focus on the discovery of epitope-based vaccines, as well as ex vivo cellular therapies, for the treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious diseases. The ex vivo clinical program will be pursued by the new company. Baxter, a global medical products company, is a leader in technologies related to blood and the circulatory system. The Biotech Group is a global provider of products and services for blood component therapy blood component therapy Component therapy The therapeutic use of specific portions–components of blood–eg, factor VIII concentrates, packed red cells, or platelets rather than whole blood , blood-volume replacement and the treatment of coagulation coagulation (kōăg'y  lā`shən), the collecting into a mass of minute particles of a solid dispersed throughout a liquid (a sol), usually followed by the precipitation or and immune disorders. The Immunotherapy Division of the Biotech Group is developing ex vivo cellular therapies for the treatment of cancer and immune disorders. The Immunotherapy Division recently signed a letter of intent with VIMRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to form a new cell therapy company to develop innovative treatments for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. This strategic alliance will combine Baxter's ex vivo cellular selection and storage business with VIMRX's access to genomics technology to create a leading, comprehensive ex vivo cell and gene therapies enterprise. Physician Reliance Network, Inc. is a Dallas-based provider of management, facilities, administration, technical support, and ancillary services necessary to establish and maintain a fully integrated network of oncology care. The Company is the largest oncology practice management company in the United States, managing the practices of approximately 310 physicians in 108 practice locations, including 18 outpatient cancer centers. The information provided above may include certain forward- looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, including but not limited to the risks associated with the timing and cost of conducting human clinical trials, the regulatory approval process and the possibility that testing may reveal undesirable and unintended side effects or other characteristics that may prevent or limit the commercial use of proposed products. These factors are more fully discussed in Cytel's most recent Form 10-K. CONTACT: Deborah A. Schueren Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Cytel Corporation (619) 552-3000 or Margaret Stanford Director of Communications Director of Communications is a position in the private and public sectors. The Director of Communications is responsible for managing and directing an organization's internal and external communications. Baxter, Biotech Group (847) 940-6636 |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion