Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Biotech / Medical : MEDX ... anybody following? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Icebrg who wrote (577)	1/22/2002 7:57:20 AM
From: nigel bates	Respond to of 2240

Medarex and ZYCOS Establish Alliance to Develop CANVAS(TM) Targets into Human Antibody Therapeutics PRINCETON, N.J. and LEXINGTON, Mass., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medarex, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDX - news) and ZYCOS Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, announced today a collaboration agreement to co-develop novel antibody therapeutic products. The companies expect to utilize Medarex's UltiMAb Human Antibody Development System(SM) to generate antibodies against targets derived from ZYCOS' CANVAS(TM), the company's proprietary protein expression screening technology. Under the terms of the agreement, Medarex and ZYCOS expect to share the cost of research, development and commercialization and resulting revenues from successful antibody products. ``We are pleased to team up with an inventive company like ZYCOS,'' said Donald L. Drakeman, President and CEO of Medarex. ``We expect ZYCOS' high throughput approach to proteomics and its protein discovery program to yield novel antibody targets for important diseases.'' ``Working in collaboration with Medarex, we expect to diversify our pipeline and quickly turn discoveries from our CANVAS proteomic efforts into viable therapeutic antibodies,'' commented Mark A. Philip, President & CEO of ZYCOS Inc. ``ZYCOS is focused on exploiting its technology platform to rapidly develop novel products. Using our own proprietary technologies, ZYCOS has already developed several product candidates, two of which are in clinical development.'' About ZYCOS Inc. A privately held company located in Lexington, Massachusetts, ZYCOS' core technology platform has led to the development of a new category of therapeutic medicines targeting cancer, viral infections and autoimmune disease. The technology platform is comprised of a proprietary DNA expression vector to encode disease-specific genes and complementary biocompatible polymer systems for targeted drug delivery. ZYCOS' drug discovery capabilities include the CANVAS(TM) protein expression profiling and EPIQUEST® antigen discovery systems. ZYCOS' CANVAS technology is a novel way to characterize the protein expression patterns of mammalian cells. CANVAS screens protein fragments from human tissue or cell samples using proprietary protein and peptide HPLC separations and automated mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analyses. CANVAS enables the detection of rare and low abundance proteins and increases the throughput of screening proteins for potential therapeutic targets. Both the CANVAS and EPIQUEST systems are based on advanced microchemistries and mass spectrometry. For rapid drug development, ZYCOS has developed the BIOTOPE® DNA expression vector and GENCAP(TM) DNA delivery system. ZYCOS is using its technologies to discover novel protein and antigen targets for therapeutic development and to build a pipeline of DNA-based products that are designed to enhance the body's natural response against specific diseases. ZYCOS' first product candidate, ZYC101a is designed to treat diseases associated with the human papillomavirus and is currently in Phase 2b clinical studies for cervical dysplasia. ZYC300, a product candidate designed to treat a variety of cancers is expected to enter Phase 1/2a clinical studies this year...

To: Icebrg who wrote (577)	2/19/2002 2:44:46 AM
From: Icebrg	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 2240

Sanofi-Synthelabo Exercises Its First Option for an Anti-Melanoma Cancer Vaccine in Its Partnership With Immuno-Designed Molecules (IDM) PARIS, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Immuno-Designed Molecules, S.A. (IDM) and Sanofi-Synthelabo S.A. (Paris Bourse: Sicovam code 12057) announce today that Sanofi-Synthelabo is exercising its first option to develop and market IDM's Cell Drug(TM) known as IDD3 for the treatment of melanoma. Following the announcement of their partnership on 22 January 2002, Sanofi-Synthelabo and IDM agreed that this advanced program is particularly interesting to Sanofi-Synthelabo for the following reasons: * There is a very large un-met medical need in this indication. * This indication is likely to be responsive to an immuno-therapeutic treatment. * IDD3 has successfully completed initial Phase II trials with promising results. * The Cell Drug selected is a dendritic cell-based therapeutic vaccine using IL-13, a compound which Sanofi-Synthelabo discovered and which formed the basis of the first partnership between the two companies in 1999. Sanofi-Synthelabo's exercising of their option triggers the payment of milestones, the re-imbursement of clinical development costs previously incurred by IDM for this Cell Drug as well as the re-imbursement of the clinical development program as it moves forward. Jean-Loup Romet-Lemonne, MD, President and CEO of IDM stated: ``Sanofi-Synthelabo's first selection of one advanced Cell Drug in such a short period of time following the conclusion of our agreement clearly demonstrates its commitment to making a number of our Cell Drugs part of its therapeutic portfolio. At IDM we have already launched an organized program that should bring this Cell Drug to the marketplace in a competitive time-frame.'' IDM - The Immunogenics Company® IDM is a leading biopharmaceutical company developing a new family of immunotherapy products called Cell Drugs to fight cancer and other life-threatening diseases. IDM applies its proprietary technologies to selectively isolate, engineer, expand and activate specific cell populations which are involved in therapeutic vaccination. The Company's products are designed to boost the immune system, destroy residual tumor recurrence. IDM's most advanced product is in Phase III for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Medarex holds 29 % of IDM's equity.