Thursday December 13, 6:01 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: InterMune, Inc.
InterMune Announces Five Abstracts to Be Presented at ICAAC Annual Meeting Highlighting Infectious Disease Pipeline
Phase III Oritavancin Results in CSSI and Phase II Actimmune Results in Fungal Infections to Be Presented as Late-Breakers
BRISBANE, Calif., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN - news) today announced that five abstracts related to the Company's infectious disease development pipeline and research programs will be presented at the 41st Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Chicago next week.
Data will be presented from the Company's first Phase III clinical study with oritavancin for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections. Oritavancin is the Company's novel glycopeptide antibiotic in development for the treatment of a broad range of Gram-positive bacterial infections. This Phase III study demonstrates oritavancin's effectiveness against many serious Gram-positive bacteria, including those resistant to conventional antibiotics. Preclinical data on this product's potential to treat anthrax infections also will be presented.
``The Phase III data being presented at ICAAC demonstrate how oritavancin's unique benefits, including shorter dosing schedule and favorable resistance profile give it the potential to become a new standard of care for serious Gram-positive bacterial infections,'' said James Pennington, M.D., InterMune's Executive Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs. ``Additional presentations will highlight InterMune's expanding pipeline of infectious disease programs.''
Researchers also will present positive Phase II data for the use of Actimmune® (Interferon gamma-1b) as an adjunct to conventional therapy for the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis, a potentially fatal fungal infection of the brain.
In addition, preclinical data regarding the Company's monoclonal antibody targeted against the PcrV protein of the bacterium Pseudomonas Aeruginosa will be presented.
The Company will host a conference call to discuss the oritavancin and Actimmune results on Tuesday, December 18, at 8:30 a.m. EST. Those interested can call 800-894-4892 (domestic) or 212-748-2746 (international) and reference call number 20083858. The call may also be accessed via webcast through InterMune's Web Site at www.intermune.com. Please log on 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A replay will be available by dialing 800-633-8284 (domestic) or 858-812-6440 (international) and referencing call number 20083858.
The five abstracts, which are available upon request or can be downloaded at www.icaac.org, are:
1. Equivalence of Shorter Course Therapy with Oritavancin vs
Vancomycin/Cephalexin in Complicated Skin/Skin Structure Infections (CSSI)
(Late Breaker Poster Session by Dr. Margaret Wasilewski, Eli Lilly and
Company, Indianapolis, IN, on Tue., Dec. 18, 10:30 a.m. CST, Exhibit
Hall);
2. Abstract #LB-10: Adjunctive Interferon Gamma (IFNg) for Treatment of
Cryptococcal Meningitis (Crypto): A Randomized, Double-Blind Pilot Trial
(Late-Breaker Slide Session by Dr. P.G. Pappas, University of Alabama,
Birmingham, AL, on Tue., Dec. 18, 12:00 p.m. CST, Arie Crown Theatre);
3. Abstract #524: In Vitro Activity of Oritavancin (LY333328),
Levofloxacin, Meropenem, GAR936 and Linezolid against strains of Bacillus
Anthracis (Poster Presentation by Dr. Henry S. Heine, Bacteriology
Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Ft.
Detrick, MD, on Sun., Dec. 16, 3:00 p.m. CST, Exhibit Hall);
4. Abstract #2193: Protein Binding of 14C-Oritavancin (Poster
Presentation by Dr. T. J. Brown, Lilly Research Lab, Indianapolis, IN, on
Wed., Dec. 19, 10:00 a.m. CST, Room E354A);
5. Abstract #997: Development and Characterization of Monoclonal
Antibody to Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Type III Secreted Protein PcrV (Poster
Presentation by Dr. Teiji Sawa, University of California, San Francisco,
San Francisco, CA, on Mon., Dec. 17, 1:30 p.m. CST, Exhibit Hall).
About InterMune
InterMune is a commercial-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative products for the treatment of serious pulmonary and infectious diseases and cancer. InterMune has three marketed products, growing product revenues and advanced-stage clinical programs addressing a range of diseases with attractive commercial markets. For additional information about InterMune, please visit www.intermune.com.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning certain of InterMune's clinical development activities and goals, including without limitation statements concerning: oritavancin's efficacy against serious Gram-positive infections, shorter dosing schedule and favorable resistance profile; and positive Phase II clinical data for the use of Actimmune as adjunctive therapy to treat cryptococcal meningitis. All forward-looking statements and other information included in this press release are based on information available to InterMune as of the date hereof, and InterMune assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements or information. InterMune's actual results could differ materially from those described in InterMune's forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to those discussed in detail under the heading ``Risk Factors'' and the other risks and factors discussed in InterMune's 8-K reports filed with the SEC on June 29, 2001 and September 19, 2001, and other periodic reports (i.e., 10-K, 10-KA, 10-Q and 8-K) filed with the SEC, which are incorporated herein by reference. The risks and other factors that follow, concerning the forward-looking statements in this press release, should be considered only in connection with the fully discussed risks and other factors discussed in detail in the two 8-K reports and InterMune's other periodic reports filed with the SEC. InterMune's forward-looking statements concerning oritavancin's efficacy against Gram-positive infections, shorter dosing schedule and favorable resistance profile; and Actimmune's efficacy against cryptococcal meningitis are subject to the uncertainties and risks associated with the uncertain, lengthy and expensive drug research and development and regulatory process; budget constraints; third-party manufacturers; competition; and InterMune's ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property.
SOURCE: InterMune, Inc. |
