Dendreon and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Announce Licensing Agreement for Cancer Antigen.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 12, 1998--Dendreon Corporation of Mountain View and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) is a global non-profit medical research institute that undertakes laboratory and clinical research into cancer, conducting and sponsoring its own early-phase clinical trials to investigate its discoveries. of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. today announced a licensing agreement for the use of the Ludwig Institute's NY-ESO-1 antigen in Dendreon's dendritic cell dendritic cell n. 1. A cell that has branching processes. 2. Any of the cells in the neural crest of the embryonic ectoderm having extensive processes and developing early as producers of melanin. therapy. The NY-ESO-1 antigen is expressed on several cancer cells, including those of the breast, bladder, prostate, ovary ovary, ductless gland of the female in which the ova (female reproductive cells) are produced. In vertebrate animals the ovary also secretes the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control the development of the sexual organs and the secondary sexual and lung, as well as melanomas. "We are delighted to enter into a collaboration with such a prestigious institution as the Ludwig Institute. The NY-ESO-1 antigen will extend our Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy program into several additional important cancers," said David Urdal, Dendreon's Chief Scientific officer and Chief Operating Officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. . Dendreon has developed an innovative platform for the isolation and subsequent activation of peripheral blood peripheral blood Cardiology Blood circulating in the system/body dendritic cells, allowing the company to generate therapeutic agents for several cancers and infectious diseases. Following dendritic cell isolation, the company uses a novel technology to specifically activate the cells using a fusion protein that binds selectively to the dendritic cell surface. Activated dendritic cells are then returned to the patient and used to stimulate a vigorous 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. . Prostate cancer and multiple myeloma are Dendreon's initial targets for this novel approach. The company has received Corporate INDs to pursue human clinical trials in these diseases and currently has Phase II trials ongoing at two clinical sites. It expects to begin clinical studies with NY-ESO-1 during 1999. The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has used serological serological pertaining to or emanating from serology. serological test one involving examination of blood serum usually for antibody. screening of cDNA expression libraries (SEREX) for defining new human tumor antigens such as NY-ESO-1, which, when combined with Dendreon's antigen engineering and dendritic cell technology, will serve as a target for immunotherapy against cancers such as those of the breast, bladder, ovary and melanomas. "We are pleased about the collaboration with Dendreon, whose dendritic dendritic /den·drit·ic/ (den-drit´ik) 1. branched like a tree. 2. pertaining to or possessing dendrites. den·drit·ic adj. Relating to the dendrites of nerve cells. cell-based immunotherapy provides an interesting application for the clinical use of the NY-ESO-1 antigen," said Lloyd Old, Chief Executive Officer of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, established 26 years ago, is an international organization with ten branches, located in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Brazil, and the United States. Each branch collaborates closely with the scientists and clinicians of the relevant academic environment, thereby facilitating furtherance of its basic research while also enabling clinical exploitation of relevant research findings. Dendreon Corporation is a leader in the development of novel cell-based therapies for the treatment of cancer and infectious disease. The company is a pioneer in the use of dendritic cells to stimulate immune responses and the leading clinical group focused on commercializing dendritic cells for therapeutic purposes.
CONTACT: Dendreon Corporation, Mountain View
David Urdal, 650/964-6744
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