Lund, Sweden, May 18, 2010- Journal of Immunotherapy (doi: 10.1097/CJI.0b013e3181d75820) has published an article* covering Active Biotech's (NASDAQ OMX Nordic: ACTI) renal cell cancer project ANYARA, where ANYARA was examined and compared with previous TTS candidate drugs with respect to properties and reactivity.
The results show that critical properties of ANYARA (naptumomab estafenatox), such as tumor reactivity and therapeutic window were improved. The paper concludes that ANYARA has properties that seem to be clearly superior to the earlier TTS constructs examined clinically and is well suited for therapy of 5T4 antigen expressing cancers like renal cell cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.
ANYARA is presently in development for the treatment of renal cell cancer. A phase III study, which has completed enrollment of over 500 patients, is currently ongoing. The results from this study are expected first half 2011.
Active Biotech AB (publ)
Tomas Leanderson
President and CEO
For further information, please contact
Göran Forsberg
VP Investor Relations & Business Development
Tel: +46 (0)46 19 11 54
goran.forsberg@activebiotech.com
* Naptumomab Estafenatox, an Engineered Antibody-superantigen Fusion Protein With Low Toxicity and Reduced Antigenicity
Forsberg, Göran; Skartved, Niels-Jörgen; Wallén-Öhman, Marie; Nyhlén, Helen Carlsson; Behm, Kristina; Hedlund, Gunnar; Nederman, Thore
Notes to editors
About ANYARA
ANYARA is a TTS (Tumor Targeting Superantigens) compound that makes the treatment of cancer tumor-specific. The development of ANYARA is mainly focused on renal cell cancer. Positive data was reported in connection with the interim analysis in Phase II/III and from clinical Phase I trials in lung cancer, renal cell cancer and pancreatic cancer. The median survival of 26.2 months observed for patients with advanced renal cancer and treated with ANYARA is twice the expected length. ANYARA has been granted orphan-drug status by the EMEA for the indication renal cancer. Information concerning the ongoing Phase III clinical trial is available at www.activebiotech.com and www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Active Biotech
Active Biotech AB (NASDAQ OMX NORDIC: ACTI), headquartered in Sweden, is a biotechnology company with R&D focus on autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and cancer. Projects in pivotal phase are laquinimod, an orally administered small molecule with unique immunomodulatory properties for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, as well as ANYARA for use in cancer targeted therapy, primarily renal cancer. Further key projects in clinical development comprise the three orally administered compounds TASQ for prostate cancer, 57-57 for SLE and RhuDex(TM) for RA. Please visit www.activebiotech.com for more information.
Active Biotech is required under the Securities Markets Act to make the information in this press release public. The information was submitted for publication at 2:30 pm CET on May 18, 2010.
Active Biotech AB (org. no. 556223-9227)
P.O. Box 724, SE-220 07 Lund, Sweden
Tel +46 46-19 20 00
Fax +46 46-19 11 00
