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

To: Icebrg who wrote (799)	3/26/2004 9:46:47 PM
From: tuck	Respond to of 2240

>>Clinical Cancer Research Vol. 10, 1920-1927, March 2004 A Novel Human Cancer Vaccine Elicits Cellular Responses to the Tumor-Associated Antigen, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ß Li-Zhen He1, Venky Ramakrishna1, John E. Connolly2, Xi-Tao Wang1, Patricia A. Smith1, Charles L. Jones1, Maria Valkova-Valchanova1, Alahari Arunakumari1, John F. Treml1, Joel Goldstein1, Paul K. Wallace2, Tibor Keler1 and Michael J. Endres1 1 Medarex, Inc., Bloomsbury, New Jersey, and 2 Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire ABSTRACT Purpose: The oncofetal antigen, human chorionic gonadotropin ß subunit (hCGß), is expressed by a number of carcinomas and is a prognostic indicator in renal, colorectal, bladder, and pancreatic cancers. We describe the development of a novel antibody-based dendritic cell (DC)-targeted cancer vaccine capable of eliciting cellular immune responses directed against hCGß. Experimental Design: The tumor-associated antigen hCGß was coupled genetically to a human anti-DC antibody (B11). The resulting fusion protein (B11-hCGß) was evaluated for its ability to promote tumor antigen-specific cellular immune responses in a human in vitro model. Monocyte-derived human DCs from normal donors were exposed to purified B11-hCGß, activated with CD40 ligand, mixed with autologous lymphocytes, and tested for their ability to promote hCGß-specific proliferative and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses. Results: B11-hCGß was found to be a soluble, well-defined, and readily purified product that specifically recognized the human mannose receptor via the B11 antibody portion of the fusion protein. B11-hCGß functionally promoted the uptake and processing of tumor antigen by DCs, which led to the generation of tumor-specific HLA class I and class II-restricted T-cell responses, including CTLs capable of killing human cancer cell lines expressing hCGß. Conclusions: Although other hCG vaccines have been shown to be capable of eliciting antibody responses to hCGß, this is the first time that cellular immune responses to hCGß have been induced by a vaccine in a human system. This DC-targeted hCGß vaccine holds promise for the management of a number of cancers and merits additional clinical development. << Cheers, Tuck

To: Icebrg who wrote (799)	4/9/2004 3:58:39 PM
From: Icebrg	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2240

Medarex plans $50 million IPO for unit Associated Press WASHINGTON - Biotechnology company Medarex Inc. plans to take its Celldex Therapeutics subsidiary public in an offering worth up to $50 million, according to a regulatory filing Friday. Medarex, which is based in Princeton, N.J., develops antibody therapies. Celldex focuses on products designed to either enhance or suppress the immune system. Details about the number of shares offered and estimated price range for the IPO weren't disclosed in the Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Proceeds will be used to continue the clinical development and commercialization of the company's product candidates, and to expand its research and development programs. Part of the proceeds will be used to pay potential license and other fees to Medarex, which will own 75 percent of Celldex's stock after the IPO. The company plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol "CDEX." sunherald.com