OXiGENE to Report on ZYBRESTAT(TM) Pivotal Trial Progress in Presentation to
Investors in Sweden
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 2007--Regulatory News:
OXiGENE, Inc. (NASDAQ: OXGN, XSSE: OXGN), a clinical-stage,
biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics to treat
cancer and eye diseases, announced that Richard Chin, M.D., President
and CEO, will present a corporate update to investors in Stockholm,
Sweden, on December 11, 2007.
Included in the presentation will be an update on the progress of
OXiGENE's ongoing Phase II/III pivotal registration study of
ZYBRESTAT(TM) for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). OXiGENE indicated
that it has initiated a total of four clinical trial sites in the
United States and India, and anticipates initiating two to three
additional sites prior to year-end. Additional regulatory submissions
and reviews are in progress to support initiation of further study
sites in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Israel beginning in
January 2008. Based upon meetings with investigators from
approximately 30 sites conducted this fall in India, the United States
and Europe, OXiGENE anticipates having substantially all of the
study's clinical trial sites initiated by mid-2008. As a result,
OXiGENE expects to reach the planned interim analysis by mid-2009."Investigators and trial site staff in the United States, Europe,
Russia, and India are enthusiastic about participating in the
ZYBRESTAT ATC study and are committed to undertaking this largest-ever
clinical trial in anaplastic thyroid cancer," said OXiGENE's Chief
Medical Officer, Patricia Walicke, M.D., Ph.D.
About ZYBRESTAT (combretastatin A4 phosphate / CA4P)
ZYBRESTAT(TM) is currently being evaluated in a pivotal
registration study in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) under a Special
Protocol Assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). OXiGENE believes that ZYBRESTAT is poised to
become the first therapeutic product in a novel class of
small-molecule drug candidates called vascular disrupting agents
(VDAs). Through interaction with vascular endothelial cell
cytoskeletal proteins, ZYBRESTAT selectively targets and collapses
tumor vasculature, thereby depriving the tumor of oxygen and causing
death of tumor cells. In clinical studies, ZYBRESTAT has demonstrated
potent and selective activity against tumor vasculature, as well as
clinical activity against ATC and other solid tumors.
Additional information regarding the study design, enrollment
criteria, and participating centers is available at
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (keyword: anaplastic thyroid cancer).
About Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
ATC is one of the most aggressive cancers known in humans. There
are no approved treatments for this disease. ATC is a high-grade
neoplasm, characterized by a rapid clinical course with brief
survival, and refractoriness to currently available local and systemic
modalities of treatment. ATC comprises approximately two percent of
all thyroid malignancies in the United States, and up to 5% in certain
countries outside the United States. While ATC epidemiology has not
been extensively studied and documented, OXiGENE estimates that there
are approximately 1,000 to 4,000 new cases per year in the United
States and in Europe combined. Newly-diagnosed ATC patients have a
median life expectancy of approximately 3 months, and only a very
limited number of patients survive for longer than one year.
Information for Patients and Caregivers
For further information about anaplastic thyroid cancer and the
OXiGENE Phase II/III ZYBRESTAT(TM) clinical trial, please contact
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc.:
-0-
*T
ThyCA
www.ThyCa.org
(877) 588-7904
thyca@thyca.org
*T
About OXiGENE
OXiGENE is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing
novel therapeutics to treat cancer and eye diseases. The Company's
major focus is developing VDAs that selectively disrupt abnormal blood
vessels associated with solid tumor progression and visual impairment.
OXiGENE is dedicated to leveraging its intellectual property and
therapeutic development expertise to bring life-extending and
-enhancing medicines to patients.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any
or all of the forward-looking statements in this press release may
turn out to be wrong. Forward-looking statements can be affected by
inaccurate assumptions OXiGENE might make or by known or unknown risks
and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: the timing of
initiation of additional clinical trial sites for the Phase II/III
trial of ZYBRESTAT for ATC; and the timing of the planned interim
analysis of the Phase II/III trial results. Additional information
concerning factors that could cause actual results to materially
differ from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in
OXiGENE's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
OXiGENE's reports on Form 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. However, OXiGENE
undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking
statements, whether because of new information, future events or
otherwise. Please refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2006.
OXiGENE, Inc.
Investor Relations
Shari Annes, 650-888-0902
sannes@oxigene.com
OXiGENE to Report on ZYBRESTAT(TM) Pivotal Trial Progress in Presentation to Investors in Sweden
| Source: Oxigene, Inc.