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BETHESDA, MD - November 4, 2008 -- Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, presented data from a preclinical study1 showing cytotoxic activity of anti-EpCAM antibody adecatumumab (MT201) against KRAS-mutated human colon cancer cells on November 1, 2008 at the 23rd Annual meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) , taking place October 31-November 2, 2008 in San Diego, California.
The new preclinical data indicated that human colon cancer cells are efficiently eliminated in tested cell lines by adecatumumab, mediated by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), irrespective of their KRAS mutation status. Recent studies suggest that anti-EGFR antibodies cetuximab (Erbitux®; ImClone, BMS, Merck KGaA) and panitumumab (Vectibix®; Amgen) are beneficial for patients with KRAS wild-type tumors, however, show limited or no efficacy in the treatment of colon cancer patients with a mutated KRAS oncogene in their cancer cells. These findings recently led to the approval of cetuximab for first-line therapy in patients with KRAS wild-type tumors. As a consequence, there is a high need for the development of treatment strategies covering those patients who are not able to benefit from this important new treatment option as their tumors carry the KRAS mutated gene. This mutation is found in approximately 35 to 40 percent of patients with this disease.
"Given that more than 95 percent of colon cancer patients strongly express EpCAM on their tumors, and that 35 to 40 percent of patients who have a KRAS mutant tumor may not benefit from treatment with anti-EGFR antibodies, adecatumumab could be investigated as a potential alternative for the treatment of KRAS mutant colon cancer tumors," commented Patrick Baeuerle, senior vice president and chief scientific officer for Micromet. "In the near future, Micromet will initiate a phase 2 study investigating the activity of adecatumumab in colon cancer patients with completely resected liver metastases." 1ADCC-mediated Lysis of KRAS-mutated Colon Cancer Cells by Anti-EpCAM Antibody Adecatumumab. D. Rüttinger et al. 23rd annual meeting of iSBTc, San Diego Nov. 1st (2008; abstract
About iSBTc
The International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit society of medical professionals. Since its inception in 1984, the International Society for Biological Therapy has implemented several high-caliber scientific meetings with a focus on basic, clinical and translational aspects of the biological therapy of cancer. iSBTc has since come to be known as the premier venue for scientific exchange by investigators in the oncology biologics community, including members from academia, industry and regulatory agencies from the U.S. and abroad. The Society has now expanded its efforts to promote international scientific exchange by investigators through several new initiatives and collaborative efforts (www.isbtc.org).
About Micromet, Inc. Micromet, Inc. (www.micromet-inc.com) is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Four of its antibodies are currently in clinical trials, while the remainder of the product pipeline is in preclinical development. The BiTE® antibody blinatumomab (MT103/MEDI-538) is in a phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. BiTE antibodies represent a new class of antibodies that activate a patient's own cytotoxic T cells, considered the most powerful "killer cells" of the human immune system, to eliminate cancer cells. Micromet is developing blinatumomab in collaboration with MedImmune, Inc., a subsidiary of AstraZeneca plc. MT110 is the second BiTE antibody in clinical trials, and is being developed by Micromet in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with lung or gastrointestinal cancer. The third clinical stage antibody is adecatumumab, also known as MT201, a human monoclonal antibody that targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-expressing solid tumors. Micromet is developing adecatumumab in collaboration with Merck Serono in a phase 1b clinical trial evaluating adecatumumab in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer. The fourth clinical stage antibody is MT293 which is licensed to TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and is being developed in a phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with cancer. Three additional BiTE antibodies, targeting CD33, CEA and MCSP, respectively, are in preclinical development. In addition, Micromet has established a collaboration with Nycomed for the development and commercialization of MT203, a human antibody neutralizing the activity of granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which has potential applications in the treatment of various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or multiple sclerosis.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the efficacy, safety and intended utilization of our product candidates, the development of our BiTE antibody technology, the conduct, timing and results of future clinical trials, expectations of the future expansion of our product pipeline and collaborations, and our plans regarding future presentations of clinical data. You are urged to consider statements that include the words "ongoing," "may," "will," "believes," "potential," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "intends," or the negative of those words or other similar words to be uncertain and forward-looking. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements include the risk that product candidates that appeared promising in early research, preclinical studies or clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in subsequent clinical trials, the risk that encouraging results from early research, preclinical studies or clinical trials may not be confirmed upon further analysis of the detailed results of such research, preclinical study or clinical trial, the risk that additional information relating to the safety, efficacy or tolerability of our product candidates may be discovered upon further analysis of preclinical or clinical trial data, the risk that we or our collaborators will not obtain approval to market our product candidates, the risks associated with reliance on outside financing to meet capital requirements, and the risks associated with reliance on collaborators, including MedImmune, Merck Serono, TRACON and Nycomed, for the funding or conduct of further development and commercialization activities relating to our product candidates. These factors and others are more fully discussed in Micromet's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, filed with the SEC on March 14, 2008, as well as other filings by the company with the SEC.
Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, as such, speak only as of the date made. Micromet, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Contact Information
US Media: European Media: Andrea tenBroek/Chris Stamm Ludger Wess (781)-684-0770 +49 (40) 8816 5964 micromet@schwartz-pr.com ludger@akampion.com
US Investors: European Investors: Susan Noonan Ines-Regina Buth (212) 966-3650 +49 (30) 2363 2768 susan@sanoonan.com ines@akampion.com
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