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14/07/2003

AACR presentation highlights possible new cancer targets for Antisoma’s DMXAA

14 July 2003, London, UK - A team led by Professor Lloyd Kelland, Head of Laboratory at Antisoma plc (LSE:ASM, NASDAQ-Europe:ASOM), yesterday presented the latest work on the company’s vascular targeting agent DMXAA at the American Association of Cancer Research meeting in Washington, USA.

The work highlights the possibility that DMXAA could be used as part of improved, combination regimens for pancreatic and colon cancers. Human tumour grafts representing these cancer types were grown in immune-deficient mice. Treatment with DMXAA alone slowed the growth of both types of tumour. More importantly, when DMXAA was given together with leading current therapies – gemcitabine for pancreatic cancer and irinotecan for colon cancer – the effect of the combination on tumour growth was additive or greater.

The team also reported similar findings for DMXAA combined with paclitaxel in two human graft models of non-small cell lung cancer, building on earlier reports of a synergistic interaction between DMXAA and paclitaxel in other tumour models.

Glyn Edwards, CEO of Antisoma said ‘The latest DMXAA results are another encouraging signal of the potential value of this drug in combination settings across a wide range of solid tumours. Pancreatic cancer is a poorly treated disease where we could expect to gain orphan drug status, so this indication could provide a high-speed route to a product licence for DMXAA.’

Enquiries:

Antisoma plc		+44 (0)20 8799 8200
Daniel Elger Head of Corporate Communications
Financial Dynamics:		+44 (0)7884 238952
Jonathan Birt

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