Here's a cancer therapy bio-tech that has yet to pop much. Doubt it will see much action today over news, but another to watch:
IMMUNOMEDICS GRANTED U.S. PATENT FOR NEUTRON-CAPTURE CANCER THERAPY
MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Immunomedics, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMMU) today announced the
issuance of a U.S. patent describing a new process to treat cancers with selectively-directed neutron irradiation.
U.S. Patent 5,846,741 describes a method of targeting boron atoms to cancer cells by means of two-step,
"pretargeting" procedures that allow for high, selective uptake of the boron atoms. When irradiated with neutrons,
the non-radioactive boron atoms convert to highly potent alpha-particle irradiation, which is lethal to cells in the
immediate vicinity. In order to prevent irradiation of normal cells and tissues, the Company's scientists invented
a pretargeting method, by which a bispecific antibody or another kind of binding pair is administered and targets
to cancer cells. After non-targeted material is cleared from the body, in order to decrease irradiation of normal
tissues, a second binder containing a large amount of boron atoms is injected. This then selectively
accumulates in the tumor cells by attaching to the first agent already bound to the cancer cells.
In order to guide the neutron beam only to the tumor cells containing the boron atoms, another improvement
provided in the patent involves using an imaging radioisotope attached to the boron compound, in order to
indicate where it has localized by imaging the patient and seeing where the tumors "light up" under the nuclear
camera. In this way, only boron atoms that are deposited in cancers, and revealed by the imaging, would be
irradiated with neutrons, thus sparing normal tissues from being irradiated.
According to Dr. David M. Goldenberg, Chairman of Immunomedics and a contributor to this new technology:
"Boron neutron capture therapy has been a subject of great interest and experimentation, both in animals and
patients, particularly for brain cancers, for more than 50 years, but the major problem has been the delivery of an
adequate number of boron atoms selectively to cancer cells. This new technology holds promise for solving
many of these problems, including how to direct thermal neutrons only to the cancers bearing the boron atoms.
Since boron, by itself, is relatively non-toxic until irradiated with the neutrons, therapy restricted to the tumors
may now become possible," he explained.
"One of our principal corporate goals has been the selective radiotherapy of cancer, and we are therefore excited
with this advance which makes a significant contribution to our research efforts in cancer therapy," stated Robert
J. DeLuccia, Immunomedics' President and Chief Executive Officer.
Immunomedics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacture and
commercialization of diagnostic imaging and therapeutic products for the detection and treatment of cancer and
infectious diseases. Integral to these products are highly specific monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments
designed to deliver radioisotopes and chemotherapeutic agents to tumors and sites of infection. The Company's
first product, CEA-Scan(R) for the detection of colorectal cancer, is being marketed in the United States and
Europe (approved in Canada). The Company's second diagnostic imaging product, LeukoScan(R), is being
marketed in Europe for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis (bone infection). This product is presently under regulatory
review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Immunomedics also has several other diagnostic imaging
products and two therapeutic products in clinical trials.
This release, in addition to historical information, contains certain forward-looking statements made pursuant to
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may involve significant risks and
uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied herein. Factors that could
cause such differences include, but are not limited to, new product development (including clinical trials outcome
and regulatory requirement/actions), competitive risks to marketed products and availability of financing and
other sources of capital as well as those discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended June 30, 1998.
Company Contact: Cynthia Sullivan, Executive Director, 973-605-8200, extension 109. Visit the Company web
site @ immunomedics.com.
SOURCE Immunomedics, Inc. |
