Micromet is Presenting Four Posters on BiTE(R) Antibodies at the International AACR-NCI-EORTC Conference
23 October 2007 - 9:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Presentation on MCSP-specific BiTE Antibody Selected by AACR for
Press Coverage BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Micromet, Inc. (NASDAQ: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company focusing
on the development of novel, proprietary antibody-based products
for cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, today announced
that data on two antibodies developed using BiTE(R) technology will
be reported at the joint international meeting of the American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR), National Cancer Institute
(NCI) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of
Cancer (EORTC) being held in San Francisco, CA, from October 22-26.
The new findings relate to the mode of action, target biology and
therapeutic window for two new BiTE antibodies in pre-clinical
development. BiTE antibodies are T cell recruiting antibodies
designed to transiently connect cytotoxic T cells with malignant
cancer cells, which has been shown to result in the eradication of
cancer cells. The four posters report on the EpCAM (CD326)-specific
BiTE antibody MT110, and on a novel BiTE antibody which targets
melanoma-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (MCSP). MT110
is being developed for the treatment of a variety of adeno and
squamous cell carcinoma which overexpress EpCAM, while the BiTE
antibody which binds to MCSP is being developed for the treatment
of metastatic melanoma and other cancers expressing MCSP. The first
poster presentation shows that BiTE antibodies which target the
cancer associated antigen MCSP are highly active against melanoma
cells by recruiting T cells for efficient tumor cell lysis in vitro
(abstract A61). This poster has been selected for inclusion in
AACR's press briefing activities. Data included in a second poster
presentation suggest a key functional role for EpCAM - the tumor
associated antigen targeted by MT110 - in tumor biology. In
collaboration with Olivier Gires, Ph.D. at the University Clinic of
Munich in Grosshadern, Germany, it was discovered that EpCAM
signals into the cell nucleus via pathways known to control the
expression of proto- oncogenes (abstract C175). This establishes
EpCAM as a signal transducer of cancer cells and explains how EpCAM
induces cell proliferation and oncogene expression. EpCAM is found
widely expressed on human cancers and is also found on so called
'cancer stem cells' from colon, pancreas, prostate and breast
tumors. In a third poster presentation, a BiTE antibody related to
MT110 has shown therapeutic activity in mice with very significant
tumor inhibition at well tolerated doses (abstract C270). These
data suggest that EpCAM-specific BiTE antibodies can distinguish
between EpCAM expressed on tumor cells and EpCAM that is expressed
on healthy epithelial cells. The mode of tumor cell lysis of MT110
was found to be largely dependent on the pore-forming protein
perforin, which is upregulated and then targeted by cytotoxic T
cells activated by BiTE antibodies targeted at EpCAM (abstract
C267). "MT110 is expected to be the second BiTE antibody in
clinical development and our first BiTE antibody targeting solid
tumors," commented Patrick Baeuerle, the Chief Scientific Officer
of Micromet. "With the BiTE antibody binding to MCSP, we hope to
address the high medical need of patients suffering from melanoma,
a disease where T cell-based therapies have already shown activity.
Moreover, the research reported supports our understanding of the
potent, highly specific and controlled mode of action of BiTE
antibodies." All of these abstracts can be viewed on the AACR
website at http://www.aacr.org/. About Micromet, Inc.
(http://www.micromet-inc.com/) Micromet, Inc. is a
biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies
for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
Three of its antibodies are in clinical development. MT103
(MEDI-538), the first antibody developed utilizing the BiTE(R)
technology platform to be clinically validated in Micromet's
product pipeline, is being evaluated in a phase 1 clinical trial
for the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. BiTE
antibodies represent a new class of antibodies that activate a
patient's own cytotoxic T cells to eliminate cancer cells. Micromet
is developing MT103 in collaboration with MedImmune, a subsidiary
of AstraZeneca plc. The second clinical stage antibody is
adecatumumab (MT201), a human monoclonal antibody targeting EpCAM
expressing tumors. Adecatumumab is being developed by Micromet in
collaboration with Merck Serono in a phase 1b clinical trial
evaluating MT201 in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of
patients with metastatic breast cancer. The third clinical stage
antibody is MT293 (formerly D93), also known as TRC093, a
first-in-class humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits
angiogenesis and tumor cell growth by binding cleaved collagen.
MT293, which is currently being tested in a phase 1 clinical trial,
is licensed to TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and is being developed
for the treatment of patients with cancer and age- related macular
degeneration. In addition, Micromet has established a collaboration
with Nycomed for the development and commercialization of MT203,
Micromet's human antibody neutralizing the activity of
granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which
has potential applications in the treatment of various inflammatory
and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis,
or multiple sclerosis. Forward-Looking Statements This release
contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially
different from historical results or from any future results
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements include statements regarding the
intended utilization of product candidates, the conduct and results
of future clinical trials, plans regarding regulatory filings,
future research, discovery of new product candidates, and clinical
trials, and partnering activities. Factors that may cause actual
results to differ materially include the risk that product
candidates that appeared promising in early research and clinical
trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in larger-scale or
later clinical trials, the risks associated with regulatory
processes, the risks associated with reliance on outside financing
to meet capital requirements, and the risks associated with
reliance on collaborative partners for future revenues under the
terms of its existing collaboration agreements, and for further
pre-clinical and clinical studies, development and
commercialization of product candidates. You are urged to consider
statements that include the words "appear," "may," "will," "would,"
"could," "should," "believes," "estimates," "projects,"
"potential," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "intends,"
"continues," "forecast," "designed," "goal," or the negative of
those words or other comparable words to be uncertain and
forward-looking. These factors and others are more fully discussed
in Micromet's periodic reports and other filings with the SEC,
including the "Risk Factors" sections of such reports. Any
forward-looking statements are made pursuant to Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, as such, speak
only as of the date made. Micromet undertakes no obligation to
publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE:
Micromet, Inc. CONTACT: Christopher Schnittker, SVP & CFO,
Micromet, Inc., +1-240-752- 1421, ; Investors, Susan Noonan, +1-
212-966-3650, ; Media, Andrea tenBroek, +1-781-684-0770, Web site:
http://www.micromet-inc.com/ http://www.aacr.org/
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