CancerVax Announces Presentation of Phase 2 Data on Canvaxin in the Treatment of Stage II Melanoma; Data Presented at AACR Annual Meeting.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers BIOWIRE2K CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2004 CancerVax Corporation (Nasdaq:CNVX) announced today the presentation of data indicating that Canvaxin(TM), the Company's investigational specific active immunotherapy active immunotherapy The administration of substances to evoke a protective immune response in the form of specific antibodies. Cf Passive immunotherapy, Vaccine. currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of Stage III and Stage IV melanoma, increased survival in patients with Stage II melanoma in a retrospective, matched pair analysis of Phase 2 clinical trial phase 2 clinical trial Phase 2 study. See Phase study. data. The data were presented at the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research Wikipedia is not the place for advertisement or self-advertising. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is an organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that focuses on all aspects of cancer research including basic, clinical and translational (AACR AACR American Association for Cancer Research AACR Anglo-American Cataloging Rules AACR Australasian Association of Cancer Registries AACR African Armed Conflicts Resolved ) in Orlando, Florida, on March 30, 2004. In an abstract entitled "Canvaxin, a Polyvalent polyvalent /poly·va·lent/ (-va´lent) multivalent. pol·y·va·lent adj. 1. Acting against or interacting with more than one kind of antigen, antibody, toxin, or microorganism. 2. Cancer Vaccine, Improves Survival in Stage II Melanoma," Donald Morton, M.D., of the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI JWCI John Wayne Cancer Institute ) documented a retrospective, matched-pair analysis of 315 patients with Stage Ib/II melanoma who received Canvaxin(TM) following surgical removal of their tumors, compared to 315 historical control patients who did not receive Canvaxin(TM). This analysis indicated that the 25th percentile of survival for the patients treated with Canvaxin(TM) was 74.8 months, while the 25th percentile of survival for the historical control group of patients was 44 months (p = 0.03). At the present time, median survival for this group of patients cannot yet be calculated. These results are similar to the survival benefit found in previous retrospective studies of patients treated with Canvaxin(TM) with Stage III and Stage IV melanoma. An additional analysis was performed among patients considered to have a higher risk for recurrence of melanoma (i.e., those patients with T3/T4 melanomas). Among the 251 matched pairs of these higher risk patients, the 25th percentile of survival for the patients treated with Canvaxin(TM) was 76.1 months, while the 25th percentile of survival for the historical control group of patients was 40.2 months (p = 0.0062). CancerVax is focused on developing Canvaxin(TM) for the treatment of Stage III and Stage IV melanoma and currently does not plan to undertake studies in earlier stages of melanoma. The abstract is available on the AACR web site (www.aacr.org) and on CancerVax's home page (www.cancervax.com) in the "Focus" section. About Melanoma According to the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society, n.pr established in 1913, this national volunteer-based health organization is committed to the elimination of cancer through prevention and treatment and to diminishing cancer suffering through advocacy, scholarship, research, , melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer and is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. As reported by the World Health Organization, the worldwide incidence, or number of newly diagnosed cases, of melanoma in 2000 was 132,600, with 37,000 people dying of the disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, approximately 55,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma and 7,900 will die as a result of the disease in 2004. Furthermore, according to the National Cancer Institute, since 1997 the incidence of new melanoma cases in the United States has increased at an average rate of more than 5% per year, one of the highest growth rates Growth Rates The compounded annualized rate of growth of a company's revenues, earnings, dividends, or other figures. Notes: Remember, historically high growth rates don't always mean a high rate of growth looking into the future. for any type of cancer. In 2000, over 510,000 patients in the United States were alive who had been diagnosed with melanoma. About Canvaxin Canvaxin(TM), one of a new class of products being developed in the area of specific active immunotherapy, is based on a proprietary technology that may potentially be applied to treat a number of cancers. Canvaxin(TM) is polyvalent, expressing at least 38 tumor-associated antigens that may stimulate an 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. ; allogeneic allogeneic /al·lo·ge·ne·ic/ (-je-ne´ik) 1. having cell types that are antigenically distinct. 2. in transplantation biology, denoting individuals (or tissues) that are of the same species but antigenically , or non-patient-specific, which may result in a stronger immune response, improved quality control and lower manufacturing cost than patient-specific immunotherapies; and is made of whole cells, which may stimulate a stronger immune response than other immunotherapy approaches that use cell fragments, peptides or antigens alone. Canvaxin(TM) has both orphan drug orphan drug, drug developed under the U.S. Orphan Drug Act (1983) to treat a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. The orphan drug law offers tax breaks and a seven-year monopoly on drug sales to induce companies to undertake the and fast track designations from the FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. for the treatment of invasive and metastatic Metastatic The term used to describe a secondary cancer, or one that has spread from one area of the body to another. Mentioned in: Coagulation Disorders metastatic pertaining to or of the nature of a metastasis. melanoma, respectively, and is currently being studied in two international Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of patients with Stage III and Stage IV melanoma. About CancerVax Corporation (www.cancervax.com) CancerVax Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel biological products for the treatment and control of cancer. The Company's lead product candidate, Canvaxin(TM), is one of a new class of products being developed in the area of specific active immunotherapy, also known as therapeutic cancer vaccines Cancer vaccines A treatment that uses the patient's immune system to attack cancer cells. Mentioned in: Pancreatic Cancer, Exocrine . Canvaxin(TM) is currently being studied in two international Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of patients with Stage III or Stage IV, or advanced-stage melanoma. The Company is also finalizing the design of a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with Stage III colon cancer colon cancer, cancer of any part of the colon (often called the large intestine). Colon cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. . In addition to Canvaxin(TM), the Company plans to identify and develop new product candidates based on its proprietary specific active immunotherapy, anti-angiogenesis and T-oligonucelotide, or telomere telomere /telo·mere/ (tel´o-mer) an extremity of a chromosome, which has specific properties, one of which is a polarity that prevents reunion with any fragment after a chromosome has been broken. homolog hom·o·log n. Variant of homologue. oligonucelotide, technology platforms, as well as on its human monoclonal antibody technology. CancerVax's corporate headquarters and research and development facility is located in Carlsbad, California and its biologics manufacturing facility is located in the Los Angeles, California area. CancerVax cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by CancerVax that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in CancerVax's business including, without limitation, statements about: the potential for its product candidates to result in marketable products; difficulties or delays in research, development, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing its technologies and product candidates; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of its product candidates that could delay or prevent product development or commercialization, or that could result in recalls or product liability claims; the scope and validity of patent protection for its product candidates; its ability to meet product candidate development objectives; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; its ability to obtain additional financing to support its operations; its ability to attract and retain experienced scientists and management; and other risks detailed in CancerVax's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including CancerVax's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and CancerVax undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. CancerVax(R) is a registered trademark of CancerVax Corporation. Canvaxin(TM) is a trademark of CancerVax Corporation. |
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