SAN DIEGO, April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Favrille, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company developing patient-specific, active immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, announced results from a new study showing enhanced activity from insect-cell derived idiotype (Id) proteins, a key component in the Company's Id/KLH immunotherapy product candidate FavId(R) for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), compared to Id proteins produced using mammalian cells. The data were reported today at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.
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"Our data show that production of recombinant Id proteins via an insect cell system results in a structurally different antigen with improved immunogenicity compared to mammalian cell-derived Id proteins," said co-author John Timmerman, M.D., and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where much of the study was performed. "This in turn may lead to improved activity of the final Id-KLH immunotherapy for lymphoma."
A copy of the poster presented by Dr. Timmerman, entitled "Enhanced Immunostimulation by a Therapeutic Lymphoma Idiotype Vaccine Produced in Insect Cells Involves Mannose Receptor Targeting to Antigen Presenting Cells," is now available on the Investor Relations section of Favrille's web site at http://www.favrille.com/.
"This study demonstrates that Id protein produced by insect cell lines possesses an enhanced ability to interact with dendritic cells compared to the same protein produced in mammalian cells, which in turn stimulates an enhanced immune response," said Daniel Gold, Ph.D., Favrille's Chief Scientific Officer. "These data help support our belief that the use of insect cells provides not only the most efficient method for producing Id/KLH immunotherapies, but also the added advantage of making them potentially more active as well."
About FavId
FavId is a patient-specific, Id/KLH active immunotherapy for the treatment of B-cell NHL. Favrille completed enrollment in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of FavId following Rituxan(R) induction therapy in patients with follicular B-cell NHL in January 2006. Analysis of the primary endpoint, time to disease progression, is event driven and currently projected to occur during the fourth quarter of 2007. The Company has a Special Protocol Assessment from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Phase 3 trial, and has also received Fast Track designation for FavId from the FDA.
About Favrille, Inc.
Favrille, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and other diseases of the immune system. The Company's lead product candidate, FavId, is based upon unique genetic information extracted from a patient's tumor. FavId is currently under investigation in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for patients with follicular B-cell NHL and Phase 2 clinical trials in other B-cell NHL indications. The Company is developing additional applications based on its immunotherapy expertise and proprietary cost- effective manufacturing technology, including a second product candidate, FAV- 201, for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature constitute "forward-looking statements." Such statements include, but are not limited to, references to Favrille's product candidates, proprietary technologies and research programs. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Favrille's actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to progress and timing of clinical trials for FavId, including difficulties or delays in development, testing, manufacturing and marketing FavId or Favrille's other product candidates; Favrille's ability to obtain marketing approval for FavId or Favrille's other product candidates and the timing of any such approvals; Favrille's ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of FavId for use in clinical trials and, if FavId receives marketing approval, for commercialization; risks associated with achieving projected operating metrics and financial performance or the anticipated number of patients using FavId; potential delays in patient enrollment; Favrille's ability to obtain additional financing to support its operations; and additional risks discussed in Favrille's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, conclusions regarding the safety and efficacy of Favrille's product candidates cannot be made until the results of future clinical trials of longer duration in more patients are known. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Favrille is providing this information as of the date of this release and, except as required by law, does not undertake any obligation to update any forward- looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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