Micromet presented data from a preclinical study(1) showing cytotoxic activity of anti-EpCAM antibody adecatumumab (MT201) against KRAS-mutated human colon cancer cells on November 1, 2008 at the 23rd Annual meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc)
BETHESDA, MD, USA | November 4, 2008 | Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, presented data from a preclinical study(1) showing cytotoxic activity of anti-EpCAM antibody adecatumumab (MT201) against KRAS-mutated human colon cancer cells on November 1, 2008 at the 23rd Annual meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) , taking place October 31-November 2, 2008 in San Diego, California.
The new preclinical data indicated that human colon cancer cells are efficiently eliminated in tested cell lines by adecatumumab, mediated by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), irrespective of their KRAS mutation status. Recent studies suggest that anti-EGFR antibodies cetuximab (Erbitux(R); ImClone, BMS, Merck KGaA) and panitumumab (Vectibix(R); Amgen) are beneficial for patients with KRAS wild-type tumors, however, show limited or no efficacy in the treatment of colon cancer patients with a mutated KRAS oncogene in their cancer cells. These findings recently led to the approval of cetuximab for first-line therapy in patients with KRAS wild-type tumors. As a consequence, there is a high need for the development of treatment strategies covering those patients who are not able to benefit from this important new treatment option as their tumors carry the KRAS mutated gene. This mutation is found in approximately 35 to 40 percent of patients with this disease.
"Given that more than 95 percent of colon cancer patients strongly express EpCAM on their tumors, and that 35 to 40 percent of patients who have a KRAS mutant tumor may not benefit from treatment with anti-EGFR antibodies, adecatumumab could be investigated as a potential alternative for the treatment of KRAS mutant colon cancer tumors," commented Patrick Baeuerle, senior vice president and chief scientific officer for Micromet. "In the near future, Micromet will initiate a phase 2 study investigating the activity of adecatumumab in colon cancer patients with completely resected liver metastases."
(1) ADCC-mediated Lysis of KRAS-mutated Colon Cancer Cells by Anti-EpCAM Antibody Adecatumumab. D. Ruttinger et al. 23rd annual meeting of iSBTc, San Diego Nov. 1st (2008; abstract
About iSBTc
The International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit society of medical professionals. Since its inception in 1984, the International Society for Biological Therapy has implemented several high-caliber scientific meetings with a focus on basic, clinical and translational aspects of the biological therapy of cancer. iSBTc has since come to be known as the premier venue for scientific exchange by investigators in the oncology biologics community, including members from academia, industry and regulatory agencies from the U.S. and abroad. The Society has now expanded its efforts to promote international scientific exchange by investigators through several new initiatives and collaborative efforts (www.isbtc.org).
About Micromet, Inc.
Micromet, Inc. (www.micromet-inc.com) is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Four of its antibodies are currently in clinical trials, while the remainder of the product pipeline is in preclinical development. The BiTE(R) antibody blinatumomab (MT103/MEDI-538) is in a phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 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, considered the most powerful "killer cells" of the human immune system, to eliminate cancer cells. Micromet is developing blinatumomab in collaboration with MedImmune, Inc., a subsidiary of AstraZeneca plc. MT110 is the second BiTE antibody in clinical trials, and is being developed by Micromet in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with lung or gastrointestinal cancer. The third clinical stage antibody is adecatumumab, also known as MT201, a human monoclonal antibody that targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-expressing solid tumors. Micromet is developing adecatumumab in collaboration with Merck Serono in a phase 1b clinical trial evaluating adecatumumab in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer. The fourth clinical stage antibody is MT293 which is licensed to TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and is being developed in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with cancer. Three additional BiTE antibodies, targeting CD33, CEA and MCSP, respectively, are in preclinical development. In addition, Micromet has established a collaboration with Nycomed for the development and commercialization of MT203, a 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.
SOURCE Micromet, Inc.
Post Views: 50
Micromet presented data from a preclinical study(1) showing cytotoxic activity of anti-EpCAM antibody adecatumumab (MT201) against KRAS-mutated human colon cancer cells on November 1, 2008 at the 23rd Annual meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc)
BETHESDA, MD, USA | November 4, 2008 | Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, presented data from a preclinical study(1) showing cytotoxic activity of anti-EpCAM antibody adecatumumab (MT201) against KRAS-mutated human colon cancer cells on November 1, 2008 at the 23rd Annual meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) , taking place October 31-November 2, 2008 in San Diego, California.
The new preclinical data indicated that human colon cancer cells are efficiently eliminated in tested cell lines by adecatumumab, mediated by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), irrespective of their KRAS mutation status. Recent studies suggest that anti-EGFR antibodies cetuximab (Erbitux(R); ImClone, BMS, Merck KGaA) and panitumumab (Vectibix(R); Amgen) are beneficial for patients with KRAS wild-type tumors, however, show limited or no efficacy in the treatment of colon cancer patients with a mutated KRAS oncogene in their cancer cells. These findings recently led to the approval of cetuximab for first-line therapy in patients with KRAS wild-type tumors. As a consequence, there is a high need for the development of treatment strategies covering those patients who are not able to benefit from this important new treatment option as their tumors carry the KRAS mutated gene. This mutation is found in approximately 35 to 40 percent of patients with this disease.
"Given that more than 95 percent of colon cancer patients strongly express EpCAM on their tumors, and that 35 to 40 percent of patients who have a KRAS mutant tumor may not benefit from treatment with anti-EGFR antibodies, adecatumumab could be investigated as a potential alternative for the treatment of KRAS mutant colon cancer tumors," commented Patrick Baeuerle, senior vice president and chief scientific officer for Micromet. "In the near future, Micromet will initiate a phase 2 study investigating the activity of adecatumumab in colon cancer patients with completely resected liver metastases."
(1) ADCC-mediated Lysis of KRAS-mutated Colon Cancer Cells by Anti-EpCAM Antibody Adecatumumab. D. Ruttinger et al. 23rd annual meeting of iSBTc, San Diego Nov. 1st (2008; abstract
About iSBTc
The International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit society of medical professionals. Since its inception in 1984, the International Society for Biological Therapy has implemented several high-caliber scientific meetings with a focus on basic, clinical and translational aspects of the biological therapy of cancer. iSBTc has since come to be known as the premier venue for scientific exchange by investigators in the oncology biologics community, including members from academia, industry and regulatory agencies from the U.S. and abroad. The Society has now expanded its efforts to promote international scientific exchange by investigators through several new initiatives and collaborative efforts (www.isbtc.org).
About Micromet, Inc.
Micromet, Inc. (www.micromet-inc.com) is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Four of its antibodies are currently in clinical trials, while the remainder of the product pipeline is in preclinical development. The BiTE(R) antibody blinatumomab (MT103/MEDI-538) is in a phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 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, considered the most powerful "killer cells" of the human immune system, to eliminate cancer cells. Micromet is developing blinatumomab in collaboration with MedImmune, Inc., a subsidiary of AstraZeneca plc. MT110 is the second BiTE antibody in clinical trials, and is being developed by Micromet in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with lung or gastrointestinal cancer. The third clinical stage antibody is adecatumumab, also known as MT201, a human monoclonal antibody that targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-expressing solid tumors. Micromet is developing adecatumumab in collaboration with Merck Serono in a phase 1b clinical trial evaluating adecatumumab in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer. The fourth clinical stage antibody is MT293 which is licensed to TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and is being developed in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with cancer. Three additional BiTE antibodies, targeting CD33, CEA and MCSP, respectively, are in preclinical development. In addition, Micromet has established a collaboration with Nycomed for the development and commercialization of MT203, a 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.
SOURCE Micromet, Inc.
Post Views: 50
