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30/06/2003

Antisoma starts new trial of R1550 (formerly Therex) in breast cancer

[London, UK: 30 June 2003] Antisoma, the UK-based biopharmaceutical company, today announces that it is starting patient recruitment into a phase I trial of its drug R1550 (formerly Therex), a novel cancer therapy that it is co-developing with pharmaceutical company Roche. The trial is enrolling patients with locally advanced or metastatic (spreading) breast cancer, with recruitment taking place initially at the UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center USA. An earlier phase I study, conducted in the UK by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, showed that R1550 was well tolerated in breast cancer patients.

Antisoma licensed the worldwide marketing rights for the product to Roche as part of the alliance agreement signed by the two companies in November 2002. Since that agreement Roche has been funding the development of R1550 in full. Antisoma will conduct the current phase I study in breast cancer, but Roche plans to conduct future studies, which are expected to evaluate the potential of the drug in a variety of cancer indications.

R1550 is an antibody (humanised HMFG1) that targets and binds to a protein called MUC1. This protein is exposed only on the surface of cancer cells, so the antibody binds specifically to tumours. Evidence suggests that the antibody then recruits components of the immune system called 'natural killer cells' to attack the cancer cells. R1550 has broad potential because the MUC1 protein that it targets is made by many different types of cancer.

Dr Miroslav Ravic, Chief Clinical Officer of Antisoma, said: 'Breast cancer accounts for 30% of all cancers that affect women, and there is a profound need for improved treatment. Our new trial of R1550 will define the doses to be used in phase II trials in breast and other cancers'.

Enquiries:

Antisoma plc		+44 (0)20 8799 8200
Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer
Financial Dynamics:		+44 (0)7884 238952
Jonathan Birt

Associated document

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