BioTransplant's Medi-507 Demonstrated Prolonged Survival in Preclinical Model of Leukemia
Tuesday June 24, 8:32 am ET
[Since there is not a lot going on with BoTransplant, I think an exception is warranted for pasting some some preclinical news. The all-important question now is: How relevant is the mouse model?]
MEDFORD, Mass., June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BioTransplant, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BTRNQ.OB - News) today announced that MEDI- 507, the Company's humanized monoclonal antibody, which has been licensed to MedImmune, Inc. for use as a stand-alone therapeutic agent, was featured in a study published in the July 1, 2003 edition of Blood. Specifically, a team of researchers led by Dr. Thomas A. Waldmann of the National Cancer Institute found that treatment with MEDI-507 led to long term survival in a well-known murine model of adult T-cell leukemia.
"We are encouraged by these promising results which suggest that MEDI-507 may have activity against T-cell leukemia, and we believe that this trial offers additional support for a clinical program evaluating MEDI-507 as a potential treatment for this indication," stated Donald B. Hawthorne, President and Chief Executive Officer of BioTransplant.
In this study, immune deficient mice were infected with adult T-cell leukemia cells and then randomized into three groups, receiving either four weekly treatments with MEDI-507, six months of weekly treatments with MEDI-507 or no treatment. A fourth group of healthy mice served as a control for survival rate. Results demonstrated that the mice treated with MEDI-507 for four weeks survived longer than infected mice that did not receive treatment (p<0.0001) and that the six-month course of therapy significantly improved survival compared to the short-term therapy (p<0.0036). In addition, treatment with MEDI-507 for six months led to long term survival comparable to the survival rate of the healthy mice. |
