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Biotech / Medical : Cell Genesys (CEGE) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SnowShredder who wrote (1146)	9/6/2001 12:40:24 PM
From: tnsaf	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1298

Since links to news releases expire, here is the release Thursday September 6, 7:01 am Eastern Time Press Release SOURCE: Cell Genesys, Inc. Cell Genesys Reports Positive Preclinical Studies of CV890 for Liver Cancer FOSTER CITY, Calif., Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEGE - news) today reported that preclinical studies of CV890, an oncolytic virus engineered to target and destroy liver cancer cells, demonstrated significant synergistic antitumor activity in a mouse model when used in combination with Doxorubicin, a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used in the treatment of liver cancer. In these studies, it was observed that human liver tumors in mice could be completely eliminated following a single intravenous injection of CV890 combined with Doxorubicin. These data were published in a September issue of the journal, Cancer Research, by De-Chao Yu, Ph.D. and colleagues at Cell Genesys. The preclinical studies described in Cancer Research evaluated CV890 and Doxorubicin therapy in mouse tumor models of human liver cancer referred to as human hepatoma xenografts. Since human hepatoma xenografts express alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP), a tumor marker used in the diagnosis of human liver cancer, and since CV890 is engineered to kill AFP-positive liver cancer cells, the specificity of CV890 therapy for liver tumor cells could be evaluated. At the end of the ten-week study, all of the mice treated with a single intravenous administration of CV890 and Doxorubicin combination therapy had at least a 95 percent reduction in liver tumor burden, with approximately 50 percent of the mice experiencing complete elimination of tumors. In contrast, a single intravenous administration of CV890 without Doxorubicin resulted in at least a 60 percent reduction in liver tumor burden. Surrounding cells remained unharmed demonstrating the high level of specificity of CV890 for liver cancer cells expressing AFP. Additionally, these experiments demonstrated that Doxorubicin could be safely administered in combination with CV890 therapy. ``We are very encouraged by the data we have observed in preclinical studies of CV890 for the treatment of liver cancer. CV890 is one of several promising product candidates gained through our recent acquisition of Calydon, Inc. which could be advanced into clinical trials during the next one to two years,'' stated Joseph J. Vallner, Ph.D., president and chief operating officer at Cell Genesys. ``We believe that adding a third product platform -- oncolytic virus therapies -- to our two existing product platforms -- GVAX® cancer vaccines and cancer gene therapies -- has significantly expanded our product portfolio opportunities and enhanced the value of our business.'' CV890 is currently one of five products based on Cell Genesys' recently acquired proprietary ARCA(TM) technology platform which employs oncolytic (cancer cell killing) viruses engineered to selectively replicate in and kill targeted cancer cells. The technology utilizes adenovirus, one of the commonly occurring viruses responsible for the common cold. The engineered viruses are delivered either by direct injection into tumors or by intravenous administration and are thousands of times more specific for killing cancer cells than standard chemotherapeutic drugs. Once the ARCA(TM) therapy is delivered to the cancer cells, the virus replicates within the cell until it bursts thereby destroying the cell and spreading the newly created viruses throughout the tumor repeating the cycle in the neighboring cancer cells. The virus specifically targets cancer cells and not the surrounding tissue, so after destroying the cancer cells, the engineered virus is cleared by the body's immune system. In addition to CV890, other products utilizing this technology are CV706, the lead ARCA(TM) product currently in clinical trials for early stage prostate cancer; CV787, currently in clinical trials for late stage prostate cancer; and CV798 and CV884, preclinical product candidates for colon cancer and bladder cancer, respectively. As noted above, CV890 is engineered to target liver tumor cells based on the presence of AFP, a tumor marker currently used for the diagnosis and management of liver cancer. Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Surgical removal of the tumor, the current standard treatment for liver cancer, is often not possible due to the spread of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. In addition, liver cancer generally responds poorly to chemotherapy making the development of novel treatment strategies of great importance. Cell Genesys is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic products for cancer based on gene therapy technologies. The company is pursuing three cancer product platforms -- GVAX® cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus therapies and in vivo cancer gene therapies. Clinical trials of the company's GVAX® vaccines are under way in prostate cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and myeloma with plans to initiate a trial for acute leukemia during 2001. Clinical trials of oncolytic virus therapies include CV706 and CV787 in prostate cancer. Preclinical stage programs include gene therapies and oncolytic virus therapies for multiple types of cancer as well as gene therapies for hemophilia. Cell Genesys' majority-owned subsidiary, Ceregene, is focused on gene therapies for neurologic disorders. Cell Genesys also continues to hold a 10.5 percent equity interest in its former subsidiary, Abgenix, an antibody product company. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.cellgenesys.com. [snip]