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Source: Morphotek, Inc. Source Date: April 19, 2010
Contact: Luigi Grasso, PhD - Morphotek®, Inc. 610-423-6100 info@morphotek.com
Judee Shuler - Eisai Inc. 201-746-2241 judee_shuler@eisai.com
Champions Biotechnology, Inc. and Morphotek®, Inc. Announce Agreement
for an Oncology Evaluation Using Biomerk Tumorgraft™ Platform
Baltimore, MD and Exton, PA, April 20, 2010 -- Champions Biotechnology, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CSBR), a company with a predictive preclinical platform aimed at accelerating the development of oncology drugs, and Morphotek®, Inc., a subsidiary of Eisai Inc., have established an agreement to test one of Morphotek’s oncology monoclonal antibodies using Champions’ Biomerk Tumorgraft™ platform.
Under the terms of the agreement, Champions will use its Biomerk Tumorgraft™ to test the efficacy of Morphotek’s monoclonal antibody as a single agent and in combination with other oncology agents.
“The use of Biomerk Tumorgrafts™ preclinically may allow for a greater understanding about the potential of these compounds in a clinical setting,” stated Elizabeth Bruckheimer, PhD, vice president of scientific operations, Champions Biotechnology, Inc. “These results may be critical in designing clinical trials that will further support the clinical development for Morphotek’s oncology antibody.”
Morphotek develops monoclonal antibodies that target antigens expressed by tumor cells or tumor-associated cells. These unique cancer-specific targets have been demonstrated to be associated with diseased tissues identified by Morphotek or academic collaborators at leading cancer research institutes around the world.
“We are excited to be working with Champions,” said Luigi Grasso, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, Morphotek, Inc. “The Biomerk Tumorgraft platform has the potential to facilitate the prediction of sensitivity and resistance in the clinic and could play an important role in our oncology drug development.”
About Champions Biotechnology, Inc.
Champions Biotechnology, Inc. is engaged in the development of advanced preclinical platforms and tumor specific data to enhance and accelerate the value of oncology drugs. The Company’s Preclinical Platform is a novel approach based upon the implantation of primary human tumors in immune deficient mice followed by propagation of the resulting engraftments (Biomerk Tumorgrafts™) in a manner that preserves the biological characteristics of the original human tumor. Champions Biotechnology leverages its preclinical platform to evaluate drug candidates and to develop a portfolio of novel therapeutic candidates. www.championsbiotechnology.comAboutMorphotek
Morphotek®, Inc., a subsidiary of Eisai Inc., is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of protein and antibody products through the use of novel and proprietary technologies. The technologies have been successfully applied to a variety of molecules that are suitable for pharmaceutical product development in the areas of antibody therapeutics, protein therapeutics, product manufacturing, drug target discovery, and improved output traits for commercial applications. The company is currently focusing its platform on the development and manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and infectious disease. For more information, please visit www.morphotek.com.
Eisai Inc.
Eisai Inc. was established in 1995 and is ranked among the top-20 U.S. pharmaceutical companies (based on retail sales). The company began marketing its first product in the United States in 1997 and has rapidly grown to become a fully integrated pharmaceutical business with fiscal year 2008 (year ended March 31, 2009) sales of approximately $3.7 billion. Eisai Inc.’s areas of commercial focus include neurology, gastrointestinal disorders and oncology/critical care. The company serves as the U.S. pharmaceutical operation of Eisai Co., Ltd., a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world.
Eisai has a global product creation organization that includes U.S.-based R&D facilities in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania as well as manufacturing facilities in Maryland and North Carolina. The company’s areas of R&D focus include neuroscience; oncology; vascular, inflammatory and immunological reaction; and antibody-based programs. For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com.