Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Adherex Initiates Phase Ib/II Exherin'TM' Trial In Europe

[Adherex used to bill itself as “*The* VTA company,” but they appear to have dropped this tagline.]

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050118/185583_1.html

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2005--Adherex Technologies Inc. (AMEX:ADH - News; TSX:AHX - News), a biopharmaceutical company with a broad portfolio of oncology products under development, today announced that it has received regulatory approval from Swiss Medic to initiate a Phase Ib/II clinical trial of its lead angiolytic compound Exherin(TM) in advanced cancer patients who express the tumor molecular target N-cadherin. This study is the first in which the Company will explore weekly dosing. The study will also utilize dynamic MRI imaging to monitor the drug's effect.

"Initiating this Phase Ib/II trial achieves another major step in advancing our lead angiolytic and anticancer drug Exherin(TM). This next level of evaluation builds on the positive findings of our ongoing Phase I study," said Dr. William Peters, Chairman and CEO of Adherex. "That trial, which is enrolling patients at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre and the MD Anderson Cancer Center, has demonstrated that Exherin(TM) has a satisfactory safety and pharmacokinetic profile and has shown evidence of anti-tumor activity, all of which is encouraging us to accelerate the clinical development of this drug. This Phase Ib/II study uses a weekly dosing schedule and thus should provide important information on another way to give Exherin(TM)."

The Phase Ib/II trial is an open label, dose ranging, multi-centered trial restricted to patients with N-cadherin positive tumors, which will assess the safety and efficacy of Exherin(TM) as well as the drug's impact on perfusion, or blood flow to the tumor. In addition to receiving drug, each patient will undergo tumor imaging to assess shrinkage in the tumor and, where possible, dynamic MRI imaging to view changes in tumor blood flow. The Company expects to enroll up to 40 patients with a variety of N-cadherin positive, advanced resistant cancers.

About Adherex Technologies

Adherex Technologies Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel cancer therapeutics. We aim to be a leader in developing innovative treatments that address important unmet medical needs in cancer. We currently have four products in the clinical stage of development including Exherin(TM) and sodium thiosulfate (STS). Exherin(TM), our lead biotechnology compound, is an angiolytic that selectively targets established blood vessels that feed solid tumors. STS, a drug from our specialty pharmaceuticals pipeline, protects against the disabling hearing loss that can often result from treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. With a diversified portfolio of unique preclinical and clinical-stage cancer compounds and a management team with expertise in identifying, developing and commercializing novel cancer therapeutics, Adherex is emerging as a pioneering oncology company. For more information, please visit Adherex' website at www.adherex.com.
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