ImmunoGen, Inc. Announces Clinical and Preclinical Findings with TAP Compounds to be Presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN) today announced that ten poster presentations featuring clinical or preclinical findings with the Company's Tumor-Activated Prodrug (TAP) technology are to be made at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics taking place this week in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to the four posters described below that will be presented by ImmunoGen researchers, another six will be presented by researchers at companies that have licensed certain rights to use ImmunoGen's TAP technology. Phase I Trial of BB-10901 (huN901-DM1) Given Daily by IV Infusion for Three Consecutive Days Every Three Weeks in Patients with SCLC SCLC abbr. Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other CD56-Positive Solid Tumors. (Abstract #B97) This poster presentation will feature clinical findings with ImmunoGen's huN901-DM1 product candidate in this ongoing Phase I trial. Study patients have relapsed or refractory small-cell lung cancer lung cancer, cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States in both men and women. Like other cancers, lung cancer occurs after repeated insults to the genetic material of the cell. (SCLC) or other CD56-expressing solid tumors. As noted in the poster abstract (www.aacr.org), dosage has been escalated from 4 mg/m(2)/day to 48 mg/m(2)/day, given daily for three consecutive days in a 21-day cycle. The maximum tolerated dose for the compound has not yet been established. Evidence of clinical activity was reported and includes a complete remission complete remission Complete response Oncology Disappearance of all signs and symptoms of disease–eg, cancer, multiple sclerosis, with normalization of all biochemical and radiologic parameters, as well as a negative repeat biopsy–pathologic remission. (CR) lasting at least 15 weeks in a patient with relapsed 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. CD56-expressing Merkel cell carcinoma Merkel cell carcinoma Cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma A highly malignant skin tumor, usually head & neck, most common in the elderly Prognosis Poor, 3-yr survival 68% ♀, 36% ♂ Treatment Wide excision, prophylactic LN dissection, RT, chemotherapy . Stable disease also has been reported in a number of patients. This poster will be presented on Wednesday, November 16, 2005, starting at 12:30 pm. Additional details will be provided at that time. HuN901-DM1 is wholly-owned by ImmunoGen. The compound is designed to target and kill CD56-expressing cancer cells and is in clinical testing for the treatment of SCLC, other CD56-positive solid tumors, and multiple myeloma multiple myeloma A malignant proliferation of abnormal plasma cells that populate the marrow-containing bones of the body. The affected plasma cells produce myeloma protein, a monoclonal antibody that replaces normal antibodies in the blood, thereby increasing susceptibility . The data being reported at the AACR-NCI-EORTC conference this week are from a clinical trial established and managed by Vernalis plc, which formerly had certain marketing rights to huN901-DM1. Additive and Synergistic Effects of Combination Treatment with huN901-DM1 (BB-10901) and Chemotherapeutic Agents in 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. Xenograft xenograft /xeno·graft/ (zen´o-graft) a graft of tissue transplanted between animals of different species; it may be concordant, Tumor Models. (Abstract #A58) This poster presentation will report preclinical findings on the activity of huN901-DM1 against human SCLC when used in combination with currently available treatments for SCLC. The treatments tested were cisplatin cisplatin /cis·plat·in/ (sis´plat-in) DDP; a platinum coordination complex capable of producing inter- and intrastrand DNA crosslinks; used as an antineoplastic. cis·plat·in n. plus VP16, topotecan, and two taxanes (paclitaxel paclitaxel /pac·li·tax·el/ (pak?li-tak´sel) an antineoplastic that promotes and stabilizes polymerization of microtubules, isolated from the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia); and docetaxel). As noted in the abstract, it was found that administration of huN901-DM1 in combination with any of these treatments markedly enhanced the anticancer activity achieved - without significant additional toxicity - compared with the effect of the available treatment alone. Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution in Mice of huC242-DM4, an Antibody-Maytansinoid Conjugate conjugate /con·ju·gate/ (kon´jdbobr-gat) 1. paired, or equally coupled; working in unison. 2. a conjugate diameter of the pelvic inlet; used alone usually to denote the true conjugate diameter; see that Targets CanAg-Positive Tumors. (Abstract #A69) This poster presentation will feature findings with ImmunoGen's huC242-DM4 product candidate in pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies conducted in mice. The findings demonstrate that the antibody-drug linkage of huC242-DM4 is stable while the compound is circulating in the bloodstream. Additionally, it was found that huC242-DM4 successfully accumulates at the tumor site and that drug levels in the tumor remain higher than levels in the blood for an extended period of time. HuC242-DM4 is in Phase I clinical testing for the treatment of cancers that express CanAg, which include colorectal, pancreatic, and other gastrointestinal cancers as well as many non-small cell lung cancers. HuC242-DM4 is wholly-owned by ImmunoGen. Mechanisms of Anti-Cancer Activities of Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Targeted Killing and Target Cell-Activated Killing of Proximal Cells. (Abstract #A71) This poster will present results from studies examining the impact of alterations in the design of a TAP compound on its ability to kill not only cancer cells expressing its target antigen, but also neighboring antigen-negative cancer cells. This feature is felt to be particularly desirable in TAP compounds created for the treatment of cancers that have irregular expression of the target antigen. About ImmunoGen, Inc. ImmunoGen, Inc. develops targeted anticancer biopharmaceuticals. The Company's proprietary TAP technology uses tumor-targeting antibodies to deliver a potent, cell-killing agent specifically to cancer cells. Four TAP compounds are in clinical testing - huN901- DM1 and huC242-DM4, which are wholly owned by ImmunoGen, and MLN MLN Million MLN Modern Language Notes (literary journal) MLN Management & Leadership Network (Northern Ireland) MLN Missouri League for Nursing MLN Main Listed Number 2704 and AVE9633, which are in development by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and the sanofi- aventis Group, respectively. Genentech, Centocor (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), Biogen Idec, the sanofi-aventis Group, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, and Abgenix have licensed the right to develop and/or test TAP compounds to specific targets; ImmunoGen also has a broader collaboration with the sanofi-aventis Group. This press release includes forward-looking statements. For these statements, ImmunoGen claims the protection of the safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. It should be noted that there are risks and uncertainties related to the Company's development of its own products, as well as to the development of products by our collaborators. A review of these risks can be found in ImmunoGen's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005 and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
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