News von der techniclone-site
Sicherlich positiv gefärbt, aber grundsätzlich sehr positiv zu bewerten:
----------
TECHNICLONE EXPANDS VTA PATENT POSITION
- Company Receives Broad Coverage of VTA Compositions -
Tustin, CA. April 19, 2000 - Techniclone Corporation (NASDAQ:TCLN) today announced the issuance of
U.S. Patent No. 6,051,230 that broadly covers Vascular Targeting Agent ("VTA") compositions. Techniclone's
VTA technology is a platform technology for the treatment of solid tumors based upon targeting components that
deliver a wide variety of therapeutic agents to tumor blood vessels. The localized therapeutics then specifically
destroy or occlude the tumor vessels, leading to significant anti-tumor effects.
The "seek and destroy" compositions specifically covered by U.S. Patent No. 6,051,230 complement
Techniclone's earlier broad claims directed to cancer treatment methods employing VTAs (e.g., U.S. Patent No.
5,855,866). The new patent encompasses a wide range of VTA therapeutics, including diverse targeting
components such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and anti-cellular agents. Also covered are
diagnostic-therapeutic combinations, for use in forming an image of the tumor vasculature prior to administration
of the VTA therapeutic.
Dr. Philip Thorpe, professor of pharmacology and researcher in the Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center at the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and inventor of the VTA technology expressed both
excitement and satisfaction with the new issuance. "Cancers, in order to grow, must have an intact functioning
blood supply. VTA can employ a variety of targeting agents, including monoclonal antibodies and growth factors
such as VEGF, to deliver a variety of effector molecules specifically to the blood vessels feeding the tumor. Some
of our most promising VTA cause the vessels to clot. This interrupts the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the
cancer, which in animal models abruptly stops the tumor from growing and leads to tumor death. We have tested
this approach in a variety of actively growing and established cancers."
Dr. John Bonfiglio, Interim CEO of Techniclone was equally positive. "The issued claims are particularly valuable
at this time as they provide specific coverage for the growth factor-based (VEGF-based) therapeutics.
Techniclone's recently announced licensing deal with Supergen for the VEGF-based VTA therapeutics will benefit
from this enhanced patent coverage. I personally am looking forward to working with our joint venture partner
Oxigene and with our licensees Supergen and Scotia to bring this VTA approach into human clinical trials in a
variety of different arenas. In developing this technology, our goal was to construct a series of patents completely
surrounding this approach. So far no less than seven have issued, including the key core technology patents.
Others are pending, and the fact that they continue to issue is very encouraging. These patents make the barrier to
entry into this area very high. Other companies wishing to enter this field will more than likely need to develop a
collaborative arrangement with Techniclone. "
Dr. Bonfiglio further stated "There are two ways of attacking the blood supply of cancers. One is
'anti-angiogenesis' that attempts to stop the induction by the cancer of new tumor vessel growth. There has been a
great deal of excitement about anti-angiogenesis over the last few years but progress has been slower than some
anticipated due to unexpected technical issues. We believe the next evolutionary step in anti-angiogenesis
research is to attack both new and existing blood vessels causing them to occlude, thus blocking blood flow. This
is what our VTA technology does. Indeed, the fact that other companies have actively sought to partner with us is
evidence that they also believe not only in the value of the VTA approach as a logical next step, but also in the
strength of our patent position. Our recently announced joint venture with Oxigene and our licensing agreements
with Supergen and Scotia are evidence of this approach and of our new partnering strategy at Techniclone."
"This new aggressive partnering strategy for clinical development is designed to maximize the market potential of
our broad platform technologies. Our broad patent coverage in the VTA field gives us the ability to license and
collaborate with many partners while maintaining the ability to develop proprietary cancer therapeutics through
our Oxigene joint venture. Such a strategy should increase the chances that one or several cancer therapeutics will
be commercialized utilizing the VTA platform technology increasing the likelihood of benefiting patients and
shareholders. We will continue to search for new strategic partners that are committed to rapidly developing our
platform technologies for commercialization," Dr. Bonfiglio added.
"Techniclone has five distinct cancer therapies in various stages of development. Our lead platform technology,
CotaraTM, differs from other antibody-based anticancer therapies in that it targets the central (necrotic) regions of
a whole range of different cancer types. Phase II clinical trials are in progress in the US for advanced brain
tumors. CotaraTM is in a Phase I trial in Mexico for the treatment of prostate, pancreatic and liver cancers with
CotaraTM. We also expect soon to begin multiple Phase I studies in the US of a variety of cancers, including
pancreas, liver, colon and others that currently have few therapeutic options in their advanced stages. Our
Oncolym® drug, under joint development with Schering AG (Germany), is about to reenter human trials in what
we believe is a simpler and more commercially viable clinical trial design. The drug has also been reformulated
and the manufacturing process optimized for higher yields. The Vascular Enhancing Agent (VEA) platform is a
therapeutic approach designed to increase permeability of vessels at the sites of cancers to allow a greater dose
of an anticancer drug to actually leave the blood stream and penetrate the cancer possibly resulting in greater
cancer cell death. Animal models have shown that we can increase the uptake of some drugs in the tumor by up
to 400% over the uptake when the drug is given alone. Pre-clinical data is being developed in preparation of
beginning pilot Phase I studies for the VEA area. Pre-clinical research is also continuing on our anti-angiogenesis
agent 2C3. The 2C3 antibody technology blocks the action of VEGF in its receptor. VEGF is necessary for the
growth of tumor vasculature. The 2C3 technology should be useful both as a potential targeting agent for the VTA
platform and also as a stand-alone anti-angiogenesis agent. Techniclone has one of the broadest anti-cancer
portfolios in the biotechnology industry. We look forward to advancing our technologies through the
commercialization process by continued internal development and through execution of our licensing strategy." Dr.
Bonfiglio emphasized.
Safe Harbor Statement: This release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to
the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual events or results may
differ from the Company's expectations as a result of risk factors discussed in Techniclone's reports on file with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's report on Form 10K
for the year ended April 30, 1999 and Form 10Q for the quarter ended January 31, 2000.
----
CHECKIT
