Introgen Plans to Expand Biomarker Database in Phase 3 Trials and File BLA and MAA for ADVEXIN in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer in First Half of 2008
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Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:INGN) announced today that upon the
recommendation of its external regulatory and clinical advisors, the
Company will include additional patient tissue samples from its Phase 3
trials for p53 biomarker analyses to predict ADVEXIN efficacy to
strengthen its U.S. and European regulatory filings. This recommendation
was made by the advisors without knowledge of Introgen’s
Phase 3 clinical trial results.
The Company expects to announce top-line Phase 3 data and submit its
Biologics Licensing Application (BLA) and Marketing Authorization
Application (MAA) for ADVEXIN for head and neck cancer in the first half
of 2008. The Company’s MAA for ADVEXIN for the
potential treatment of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, a genetically inherited
cancer, was accepted for filing by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA)
last month under the EMEA’s Exceptional
Circumstances rules.
The additional tissue samples, which were previously unavailable, can
now be collected upon appropriate consent and, in some cases,
Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals. The Company expects to
capture an additional 20 percent or more of biomarker data through this
effort, which its advisors believe will substantially strengthen the
clinical data portion of its regulatory filings.
"The Company feels that evaluation of all
available data is critical to supporting the strongest possible
regulatory application for ADVEXIN as a new treatment for patients with
advanced head and neck cancer,” said Max W.
Talbott, Introgen’s senior vice president of
Regulatory Affairs.
Abnormality of the p53 tumor suppressor is one of the most common and
fundamental molecular defects in cancer and the target of ADVEXIN p53
therapy. Introgen has previously reported data from its earlier trials
in head and neck, lung, prostate and Li-Fraumeni demonstrating
statistically significant correlations between p53 biomarkers, tumor
response or increased survival following treatment with ADVEXIN. The
efficacy evaluation of the Phase 3 study will incorporate molecular
biomarker analyses that assess p53 abnormalities and p53 protein levels
in patients’ pre-treatment tumor samples.
About ADVEXIN
ADVEXIN is a targeted molecular therapy with the potential to be broadly
applicable across a wide range of tumor types and clinical settings
because it targets one of the most fundamental and common molecular
defects, abnormal or blocked p53 tumor suppressor function, associated
with cancer initiation, progression and treatment resistance. ADVEXIN
has demonstrated increased survival and tumor growth control in
recurrent head and neck cancer.
About Introgen Therapeutics, Inc.
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on
the development, manufacturing and commercialization of targeted tumor
suppressors, a new class of therapies for the treatment of cancer.
Introgen’s technology delivers targeted
molecular therapies that increase production of normal cancer-fighting
proteins and cytokines. The Company is developing a proprietary pipeline
of product candidates utilizing molecular biomarkers to identify
patients most likely to benefit from its therapies which target central
cancer-causing mechanisms.
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical may be "forward-looking”
statements, including those relating to Introgen’s
future success with its ADVEXIN clinical development program for
treatment of cancer, its success in obtaining and analyzing additional
tissue samples from patients treated with ADVEXIN, and its success in
making regulatory filings in the U.S. and Europe in the first half of
2008. Only the FDA and EMEA can determine whether ADVEXIN can be
marketed in the United States and Europe. The actual results may differ
from those described in this release due to risks and uncertainties that
exist in Introgen’s operations and business
environment, including Introgen’s stage of
product development and the limited experience in the development of
gene-based drugs in general, dependence upon proprietary technology and
the current competitive environment, history of operating losses and
accumulated deficits, reliance on collaborative relationships, and
uncertainties related to clinical trials, the safety and efficacy of
Introgen’s product candidates, the ability to
obtain the appropriate regulatory approvals, Introgen’s
patent protection and market acceptance, as well as other risks detailed
from time to time in Introgen’s filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission including its filings on Form
10-K and Form 10-Q. Introgen undertakes no obligation to publicly
release the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements
that reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.
Editor's Note: For more information on Introgen Therapeutics, or for a
menu of archived press releases, please visit Introgen’s
Website at: www.introgen.com.