BUSINESS WIRE - 44 Montgomery St, 39th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104; Tel: (415) 986-4422; FAX: (415) 788-5335 - Wednesday, 16 July 1997.
The first allowed patent covers the company's IDEC-C2B8 (rituximab) antibody, now known as RITUXAN(TM), which is the subject of Biological License Applications (BLAs) filed in February 1997 with with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A counterpart European patent covering RITUXAN was granted in 1996. The second and third allowed patents cover the PROVAX(TM) adjuvant composition of matter and expand on the patent allowed in 1995 covering methods of using PROVAX to safely induce specific cell-mediated cytotoxic T-cell responses in humans and animals.
"The anti-CD20 antibody patent further enhances and solidifies the already strong patent estate surrounding our lead product, RITUXAN," said William R. Rohn, IDEC's senior vice president, commercial operations. IDEC and its development partner, Genentech, Inc. have completed a Phase III clinical trial with RITUXAN. The proposed indication is for the treatment of relapsed or refractory low grade or follicular non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. The BLAs for RITUXAN are scheduled for review by the FDA's Biological Response Modifiers Advisory Committee on Friday, July 25, 1997.
"The additional U.S. patents on our PROVAX technology are commensurate in scope with the granted European patent and provide broad composition of matter protection for our formulation in combination with any antigen," said Nabil Hanna, IDEC's senior vice president, research and preclinical development. "Additionally, the third patent provides specific protection for the PROVAX/papillomavirus antigen formulation for use as a therapeutic vaccine against condylomas and cervical carcinomas." IDEC is currently in discussions with other companies for licenses to PROVAX.
IDEC Pharmaceuticals focuses on developing targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. IDEC's products act chiefly through immune system mechanisms, exerting their effect by binding to specific, readily targeted immune cells in the patient's blood or lymphatic systems.
IDEC Pharmaceuticals' press releases are available at no charge through Business Wire's News on Demand Plus. For a menu of IDEC's current press releases and quarterly reports or to retrieve a specific release, call 888/329-2309. On the internet see http://www.businesswire.com/cnn/idph.htm and http://www.shareholdernews.com/idph .
The statements made in this press release contain certain forward looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the company's expectations. In addition to the matters described in this press release, timelines for clinical ongoing activity are subject to change, results of pending or future clinical trials cannot be accurately predicted and decisions by the FDA and other regulatory agencies, as well as the risk factors listed from time to time in the company's SEC filings, including but not limited to its Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, and Form 10-Q filed May 13, 1997, may affect the actual results achieved by the company.
IDEC Pharmaceuticals is a registered U.S. trademark and RITUXAN is a U.S. trademark of the company. The company headquarters is located at 11011 Torreyana Road, San Diego, CA 92121.
CONTACT: IDEC Pharmaceuticals, San Diego Connie Matsui, 619/550-8656
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Copyright © 1997 - Business Wire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Business Wire, Permissions Desk, Business Wire, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036; Tel: (212) 575-8822; FAX: (212) 575-1854. http://www.businesswire.com.
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