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Active Biotech (ACTI.ST) Tomorrow's issue of the scientific journal The Lancet, Volume 371, Issue 9630, includes an article covering Active Biotech's (OMX Nordic: ACTI) and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's novel oral MS drug laquinimod. The article, entitled "Effect of Laquinimod on MRI-monitored disease activity in patients with RRMS: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IIb study", will be available on www.thelancet.com. Laquinimod is currently in global clinical Phase III trials in the US, Europe and Israel.
Read more in today's press release from The Lancet: "New Oral Drug Laquinimod Reduces Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity and is Safe and Well Tolerated" on www.activebiotech.com.
Lund, June 20, 2008 Active Biotech AB (publ)
Sven Andréasson President and CEO
For further information, please contact: Sven Andréasson, President and CEO Tel: +46 (0)46 19 20 49 E-mail: sven.andreasson@activebiotech.com
About laquinimod and MS Laquinimod is a novel once-daily, orally administered immunomodulatory compound developed as a disease modifying treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Active Biotech developed laquinimod and licensed it to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. in June 2004. Currently, laquinimod is in Phase III global clinical trials encompassing a total of 2,200 patients at 175 sites. MS is the leading cause of neurological disability in young adults. It is estimated that two million people are affected worldwide. MS is a progressive, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, affecting the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Demyelination is the destructive breakdown of the fatty tissue that protects nerve endings. Initially, MS comes in "flare-ups," with alternating periods of deterioration and stability. The disease mainly affects young adults, and more women than men; the average age of onset of the disease is about 30. Given that MS patients must take drugs over a period of decades, an oral treatment (one tablet once a day) like laquinimod represents a significant advantage over the products currently on the market, all of which must be injected. In 2007, the total market for MS pharmaceuticals was estimated at USD 7 billion (Cowen & Co, Therapeutic Categories Outlook, March 2008).
About Active Biotech Active Biotech AB (OMX Nordic: ACTI) is a biotechnology company focusing on research and development of pharmaceuticals. Active Biotech has a strong R&D portfolio with pipeline products focused on autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and cancer. Most advanced projects are laquinimod, an orally administered small molecule with unique immunomodulatory properties for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, as well as ANYARA for use in cancer targeted therapy, primarily renal cancer. Further key projects in clinical development comprise the three orally administered compounds TASQ for prostate cancer, 57-57 for SLE and RhuDex® for RA.
Active Biotech is required under the Securities Markets Act to make the information in this press release public. The information was submitted for publication at 06:25 a.m. CET on June 20, 2008.
Active Biotech AB PO Box 724, 220 07 Lund Sweden Tel +46 (0)46-19 20 00 Fax +46 (0)46-19 20 50
