CELSION CORPORATION (AMEX: CLN) today announced that a ThermoDox Phase I liver cancer abstract has been accepted for oral presentation at the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) conference. The abstract reports on the safety and dosing of ThermoDox in patients with liver cancer. The IHPBA is hosting this Congress in Mumbai, India from February 27th to March 8th, 2008. http://www.ihpba2008.com/ This Congress is hosted every two years at a different international location, with leading faculty and researchers invited from nearly 50 countries to provide global perspectives on the standard of care and latest treatment options for liver cancer.
The oral abstract presentation, titled "Phase I Study of ThermoDox (Thermally Sensitive Liposomes Containing Doxorubicin) Given Prior to Radiofrequency Ablation for Unresectable Liver Cancers" will be given by Dr. Ronnie T. Poon, MD, Professor of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine at Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong.
This Phase I study which was carried out at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health, under the leadership of Dr. Steven K. Libutti, Senior Investigator, Head, Tumor Angiogenesis Section, Surgery Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI and Dr. Bradford J. Wood, Chief, Interventional Radiology Research at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center and at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong under the leadership of Dr. Ronnie T. P. Poon, MD, Professor of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine at Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong. In the study, a total of 24 primary and metastatic liver cancer patients, with up to 4 lesions ranging from 3 to 7 centimeters, were treated with ThermoDox in combination with radiofrequency ablation at doses ranging from 20 to 60 mg/m².
Michael H. Tardugno, Celsion's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Abstract acceptance and selection for oral presentation is only given to a select few of the most meaningful submissions. We congratulate the ThermoDox investigators from the National Cancer Institute and Queen Mary Hospital for their hard work and dedication. This publication is an important milestone in the development of ThermoDox for the liver cancer population. This august forum of leading investigators at the IHPBA is the optimal audience since we plan to launch our global Phase III study of ThermoDox for hepatocellular carcinoma at the same timeframe."
About Celsion: Celsion is dedicated to the development and commercialization of oncology drugs including tumor-targeting treatments using focused heat energy in combination with heat activated drug delivery systems.
Celsion has research, license or commercialization agreements with leading institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, Duke University Medical Center, University of Hong Kong, Cleveland Clinic, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System.
For more information on Celsion, visit our website: http://www.celsion.com.
Celsion wishes to inform readers that forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, unforeseen changes in the course of research and development activities and in clinical trials by others; possible acquisitions of other technologies, assets or businesses; possible actions by customers, suppliers, competitors, regulatory authorities; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
