viel Text, aber die Lizenz vom deutschen Krebsforschungzentrum in Heidelberg stellt m.E. Antisoma neu positioniert dar. Die Meldung kam zur rechten Zeit!Antisoma in-licenses Thioplatin, a novel, platinum-based, targeted anti-cancer therapy
Posted: Monday, October 30, 2000
For Immediate Release
London, UK, 30 October 2000: Antisoma plc (LSE:ASM, EASD:ASOM), the London-based biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for cancer, today announces that it has in-licensed an innovative version of a proven anti-cancer agent developed by the German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum “DKFZ”) in Heidelberg. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Thioplatin is a tumour targeting version of a platin, the “gold standard”, platinum-based drug class that forms the cornerstone of cancer treatments against a range of solid tumours, including lung, ovarian and testicular cancers. Although effective, the therapeutic dose for current platinum-based drugs is limited by potentially serious side effects, including damage to the kidneys and small intestine.
Thioplatin, which was developed by Dr Eberhard Amtmann at DKFZ in Heidelberg in collaboration with a chemist at the University of Heidelberg, is only “switched on” by the acidic conditions typically found in tumours, leaving healthy tissues essentially undamaged. Experiments using Thioplatin in isolated tumour cells and in animal models have shown that, whilst its efficacy is similar to that of the widely-used platinum-based drug cisplatin, its toxicity is strongly reduced. This indicates that it may be possible to give Thioplatin in higher doses than conventional platinum-based drugs, thereby potentially increasing the cancer-killing effect. The drug is expected to enter clinical studies within the next two years.
Platinum-based therapies are amongst the most successful anti-cancer therapies on the market. In 1999, the combined sales for three of the four branded platinum compounds were in excess of US $820 million.
Glyn Edwards, Antisoma’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are delighted to be working with another of Europe’s leading cancer research institutes on Thioplatin which has the potential to improve the treatment of many types of cancer. Thioplatin is Antisoma’s first therapeutic product outside the field of monoclonal antibodies. It adds both diversity and value to our growing development portfolio of innovative anti-cancer products.”
The licensing agreement was negotiated between Antisoma and Cancer Research Ventures (“CRV”). CRV is an independent technology transfer company created by the Cancer Research Campaign to provide commercialisation services to cancer research institutes worldwide. CRV has a technology transfer agreement with DKFZ.
Interested parties are invited to a live Internet presentation by the Company at 10.00 am UK time today.
Log in at: 64.57.166.17/sdsmshowclient?shownum=20524. Subsequently, the presentation will be available on the MShow™ archive site for one month at: archive.mshow.com/20524.
Enquiries:
Antisoma plc
Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer Tel: +44 (0)20 8799 8200
Val Tate, Investor Relations
Financial Dynamics
Jonathan Birt/ Sophie Pender-Cudlip Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 3113
Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum
Press Office Tel: +49 (06221) 42-2854/5
Notes to the Editor
Antisoma
Antisoma is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel products for the treatment of cancer. Using its drug development experience, the Company aims to produce safer and more effective tumour targeting therapies for commercialisation by pharmaceutical partners. Antisoma acquires the rights to promising new product candidates through partnerships with internationally recognised academic or cancer research institutions. These include the lead product candidate, Theragyn, which was licensed from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and is currently in a Phase III study as adjuvant treatment for ovarian cancer, with designated Orphan Drug status in the US. Abbott Laboratories have a worldwide exclusive licence to develop, market and sell the product.
Antisoma’s therapeutic product candidates are:
Product candidate Indication(s) Current stage of development
Theragyn Ovarian cancer Phase III
Gastric cancer Phase II
Therex Breast cancer Phase I
TheraFab Lung cancer Pre-clinical
Thioplatin Cancer Pre-clinical
AngioMab Brain cancer Pre-clinical
Other solid tumours Pre-clinical
Targeted apoptosis Cancer Pre-clinical
Immunotherapy Cancer Pre-clinical
For further information about Antisoma and previous press releases, please visit the Company’s web site at http:\www.Antisoma.com.
Cancer Research Ventures
Cancer Research Ventures (CRV) is a technology transfer company established by Cancer Research Campaign Technology Ltd (CRCT) to provide worldwide technology transfer services to cancer researchers. Its parent company, Cancer Research Campaign Technology Ltd, undertook these services for the Cancer Research Campaign from 1987 and is now a profitable, well-resourced company with considerable experience and expertise in the field. Demand from other UK and European cancer researchers led to the CRV’s establishment in 1998, the new company having since expanded into and beyond Europe.
The UK Division has exclusive relationships with a number of UK organisations funding cancer research including the Leukaemia Research Fund, the Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Breast Cancer Campaign and the Association for International Cancer Research. CRV undertakes the protection of intellectual property and its commercialisation on behalf of the scientists funded by these organisations. In addition, CRV undertake technology transfer projects from individual Universities on a case by case basis. The European Division is the exclusive provider of technology services for a number of European Cancer Research Institutes, currently including the European Institute of Oncology, Milan Italy, National Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands and Danish Institute of Cancer Biology, Copenhagen, Denmark. CRV is also working on specific cancer projects with other groups such as the German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany, the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, and the CSIC, Spain.
Deutsches Krebsforschungzentrum
The Deutsch Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Germany, was founded as a non-profit organization and supraregional research centre in 1964 by the Baden-Württemberg regional legislature and was designated a National Research Center in 1975. The Federal Ministry for Education and Research provides the majority of funding. The regional Baden-Württemberg Ministry provides around 10% of funds. Further income is provided by private donations to the foundation and other public and private sources such as the German Science Association and the European Union in the form of project-related financing.
In accordance with its Statutes and Articles, DFKZ’s task is to engage in cancer research. As a multi-disciplinary institute, this provides for a broad range of research programs investigating the molecular and cellular basis to this disease. The research programmes include: cell differentiation and carcinogenesis, tumour cell regulation, cancer risk factors and prevention, diagnostics and experimental therapy, applied tumour virology, tumour immunology, genome research and bioinformatics.
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