Thread - Found a headline re: an Aquila/Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr. agreement but no story. After a short search, I found the story on Aquila's website (www.aquailabio.com). Here is the text.
Regards,
Harry J.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquila Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Nasdaq: AQLA) today announced that it has acquired rights to antibodies that
expand and activate a specific, disease fighting T cell population of white
blood cells, called NK T cells, from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
(BIDMC). These antibodies have the potential to be developed as part of an ex
vivo cellular therapy or in vivo therapy to treat cancer as well as autoimmune
disorders and chronic viral infections. The Company plans to begin clinical
trials with an initial product for cancer in 2001.
NK T cells are believed to play an important regulatory role in the body's
natural defense mechanism against disease. In early studies conducted by BIDMC
and Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) scientists, these antibodies have been
shown to specifically expand this population of NK T cells without requiring
presentation of antigen by antigen presenting cells (APCs). Individuals with
certain forms of cancer and those with Type I diabetes have a substantially
reduced number of NK T cells.
"This technology is an important and complementary addition to our CD1
platform and adjuvant technologies and represents a near term clinical program
using an ex vivo approach," said Alison Taunton-Rigby, CEO of Aquila
Biopharmaceuticals. "The initial therapy we plan to investigate involves
removal of a blood sample from a patient, expansion of the patient's NK T
cells in vitro using the antibodies, and reinfusion of the expanded NK T cells
back into the individual patient."
The antibodies were discovered as a result of collaboration between
scientists at BIDMC and DFCI who were studying NK T cells, a population of T
cells that are distinguished by their expression of a cell surface marker
found on natural killer (NK) cells and a conserved invariant T cell receptor.
Additional research has shown that NK T cells respond to antigens presented by
CD1. CD1 proteins comprise a natural antigen processing and presentation
system that Aquila is developing for use in immune modulating products.
Aquila Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a life sciences company developing and
commercializing a range of proprietary products that enhance the immune
response in animals and humans. The Company's products are intended for use
in treating, controlling and preventing infectious diseases, cancers and
autoimmune disorders.
Aquila's products include: Leucogen(R) for protection against feline
leukemia virus (approved for U.S. and European use in 1991); Quilimmune-P(TM),
a human healthcare product for prevention of pneumococcal infections in the
elderly; and Quilimmune-M(TM), a human healthcare product for preventing
malaria; and preclinical CD1 programs on tuberculosis, Chlamydia infections
and cancer. The Company also licenses its immune enhancement technologies,
and current partners include SmithKline Beecham, Aventis Pasteur, Wyeth
Lederle, VaxGen, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Progenics Pharmaceuticals), Elan
Corporation p.l.c. and Virbac S.A.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a major patient care, research and
teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of
CareGroup Healthcare System. BIDMC is the third largest recipient of National
Institutes of Health research funding among independent U.S. teaching
hospitals.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (http://www.dana-farber.net) is a principle teaching
affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research
and care centers in the United States. It is the only center in New England to
be both a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for AIDS
Research.
Statements in this release, which relate to expectations and objectives of
management for future operations of Aquila Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., or which
otherwise relate to future performance, are forward looking statements.
Actual results may differ from those projected as a result of product demand,
pricing, market acceptance, economic conditions, intellectual property issues,
competitive products, risks in product and technology development, and other
risks identified in the Company's Securities and Exchange filings.
For investor inquiries, please call (508) 766-2700 ext. 753. Press
releases may be found on the Internet at either aquilabio.com,
prnewswire.com (company news on call), or requested by fax by
calling (800) 758-5804 X134225.
Leucogen(R) is a registered mark of Virbac S.A. |
