Corixa Receives U.S. Patent On AnervaX.RA Vaccine for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.Health/Medical Writers SEATTLE--(BW HealthWire)--April 11, 2000 Corixa Corporation (Nasdaq:CRXA), a research- and development-based biotechnology company, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides patent protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property (USPTO USPTO abbr. United States Patent and Trademark Office ) has issued the Company a patent covering its AnervaX.RA(TM) rheumatoid arthritis rheumatoid arthritis Chronic, progressive autoimmune disease causing connective-tissue inflammation, mostly in synovial joints. It can occur at any age, is more common in women, and has an unpredictable course. (RA) vaccine. Rheumatoid arthritis is a crippling disease, affecting an estimated 2.5 million Americans and a similar number of people worldwide. The patent, U.S. Patent Number 6,045,796, entitled "Vaccination with Peptide of MHC Class II MHC Class II molecules are found only on a few specialized cell types, including macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells, all of which are professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Molecules for Treatment of Autoimmune Disease autoimmune disease, any of a number of abnormal conditions caused when the body produces antibodies to its own substances. In rheumatoid arthritis, a group of antibody molecules called collectively RF, or rheumatoid factor, is complexed to the individual's own gamma ," includes claims covering the composition of the AnervaX.RA vaccine, as well as use of the vaccine to treat rheumatoid arthritis. "This patent issuance represents continued advancement of our autoimmune disease efforts, building on our acquisition of Anergen in February 1999," said Steven Gillis, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Corixa. "The continued clinical development of our AnervaX.RA vaccine and the subsequent issuance of patents for the potential vaccine are important steps toward commercialization of this novel approach to the treatment of arthritis." About Corixa's AnervaX.RA Vaccine AnervaX.RA vaccine is a synthetic 20-amino acid peptide sequence (amino acids 57-76) from the Beta chain of the specific MHC class II molecules genetically linked to RA, and includes a "shared epitope epitope: see immunity. ," that is common to approximately 90 percent of RA patients. In autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases A group of diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, in which immune cells turn on the body, attacking various tissues and organs. Mentioned in: Complement Deficiencies, Premature Menopause like rheumatoid arthritis, the body erroneously recognizes components of cells or tissues as foreign antigens. These autoantigens are presented to the 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. by disease-linked MHC class II molecules on the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APC (1) (American Power Conversion Corporation, West Kingston, RI, www.apcc.com) The leading manufacturer of UPS systems and surge suppressors, founded in 1981 by Rodger Dowdell, Neil Rasmussen and Emanual Landsman, three electronic power engineers who had worked at MIT. ). The vaccine is designed to act as a therapeutic vaccine therapeutic vaccine Immunology A vaccine–eg, Salk's Remune™ intended to treat a viral infection by stimulating the immune system. See Vaccine therapy. stimulating the production of a neutralizing immune response that prevents the autoimmune disease cascade by specifically blocking the presentation of self-antigen by disease-linked MHC MHC major histocompatibility complex. MHC abbr. major histocompatibility complex MHC major histocompatibility complex. molecules to autoreactive T cells that cause rheumatoid arthritis, potentially halting the progression of the disease. In a Phase I/II study, the vaccine provided sustained clinical benefit for up to twelve weeks after the last injection in a substantial proportion of patients with long-standing active RA, and had a low frequency of side effects. The peptide vaccine is one application of the AnervaX(TM) technology platform. Other applications include a peptide vaccine for the treatment of Type I diabetes Type I diabetes Also called juvenile diabetes. Type I diabetes typically begins early in life. Affected individuals have a primary insulin deficiency and must take insulin injections. Mentioned in: Diabetic Ketoacidosis , which is in pre-clinical development. About Corixa Corixa is a research- and development-based biotechnology company committed to treating and preventing autoimmune diseases, cancer and infectious diseases by understanding and directing the immune system. Corixa is focused on immunotherapeutic products and has a broad technology platform enabling both fully integrated vaccine design and the use of its separate, proprietary vaccine components on a standalone basis. The company partners with numerous developers and marketers of pharmaceuticals and diagnostic products with the goal of making its potential products, Powered by Corixa(TM), available to patients around the world. Corixa was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Wash., with additional operations in Hamilton, Mont. and Redwood City, Calif. For more information, please visit Corixa's website at www.corixa.com or call the company's investor relations information line at 877/4CORIXA or 877/426-7492. Forward Looking Statements Except for the historical information presented, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the failure of the AnervaX.RA vaccine to progress in clinical trials, adverse patient responses to the vaccine or the failure to prove safe or efficacious in the event of further clinical trials, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Corixa's public disclosure filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, and the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3/A, filed on April 7, 2000. Copies of Corixa's public disclosure filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are available from its investor relations department. |
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