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Biotech / Medical : Regeneron Pharmaceuticals -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mopgcw who wrote (671)	8/16/2002 9:27:39 AM
From: tuck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3560

>>TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -(Dow Jones)- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NasdaqNM:REGN - News) said two papers scheduled for publication this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences will report that its VEGF Trap is a potent blocker of the signals that promote blood vessel growth in tumors. The preclinical studies described in the papers show that the VEGF Trap, by blocking these signals, has effectively inhibited tumor growth in diverse tumor types, Regneron said in a press release Thursday. The company said the papers to be published are based on independent preclinical studies performed at Columbia University and at Regeneron Research Laboratories. The studies compared the VEGF Trap to three current approaches to blocking angiogenesis: a monoclonal antibody that binds and blocks VEGF, a monoclonal antibody that binds and blocks the VEGF receptor, and an RNA-based flouropyrimidine aptamer that binds and blocks VEGF. The studies also examined multiple tumor types, including melanoma, glioma, neuroblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. The studies suggest that the VEGF Trap may be the most potent of the VEGF blockers tested and could be used to achieve a greater degree of VEGF blockade, Regeneron said. The company added that the results of the Columbia University study indicate that a greater degree of VEGF blockage may "dramatically and differentially" modify the progress of vessel growth in tumors. "With partial VEGF blockage, new vessel growth is inhibited while existing blood vessels that fueled early tumor growth remain intact. In contrast, it appears that the more complete blockage achieved by Regeneron's VEGF Trap eventually leads to regression of the existing vessels as well, and tumor growth is significantly more inhibited," Regeneron said. The VEGF Trap is currently in an open-label Phase I study in patients with advanced solid tumor malignancies and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is being evaluated in increasing dose levels. At 4 p.m. EDT Thursday, Regeneron's shares traded at $16.87, down 67 cents or 3.81%, on Nasdaq volume of 399,870 shares.<< Cheers, Tuck