Anyone know about new drug.......

Lisa Rose said:

Hi Annette,

I just came across this at Cancer Compass ~ it's on the drug Panitumumab.

Lisa Rose


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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Jun 12, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Amgen (Nasdaq:AMGN), the world's largest biotechnology company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the Biologic License Application (BLA) for panitumumab, an investigational fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) and has granted Priority Review. The BLA was submitted for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer patients who have failed prior chemotherapy, including oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan containing regimens. A Priority Review designation means that the FDA will target an Agency action within six months of the application's submission date.

Priority Review status is assigned by the FDA to those applications the Agency has deemed to have the potential to provide a significant therapeutic advance for patients. The rolling BLA submission for panitumumab was initiated in December 2005 and completed in March 2006. Panitumumab received Fast Track designation from the FDA in July 2005. In April 2006, marketing applications were submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and Health Canada and in May 2006 in Australia and Switzerland.

Patients and physicians can access www.amgentrials.com for more information about ongoing panitumumab clinical trials.

About Panitumumab

Panitumumab is an investigational fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), a protein that plays an important role in cancer cell signaling. Panitumumab, an IgG2 monoclonal antibody, binds with high affinity to the EGFr. Panitumumab was generated with XenoMouse(R) technology, which creates a fully human monoclonal antibody that contains no murine (mouse) protein. The body's immune system can recognize the mouse protein found in chimeric and humanized antibodies as foreign and may launch an immune response. The goal of developing fully human monoclonal antibodies is to offer effective targeted therapies with minimum risk of immune response against these agents.

Panitumumab is being evaluated in clinical trials as both a monotherapy and in combination with other agents for the treatment of various types of cancer, including colorectal, lung and head and neck.

About the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFr)

Although EGFr normally helps regulate the growth of many different cells in the body, EGFr also can stimulate cancer cells to grow. In fact, many cancer cells actually require signals mediated by EGFr for their survival. Residing on the surface of these tumor cells, EGFr is activated when naturally occurring proteins in the body, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) or transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), bind to it. This binding changes the shape of EGFr, which, in turn, triggers internal cellular signals that stimulate tumor cell growth. Panitumumab binds to EGFr, preventing the natural ligands such as EGF and TGF-alpha from binding to the receptor and interfering with the signals that would otherwise stimulate growth of the cancer cell and allow it to survive.

About Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and in women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 106,680 new cases of colon cancer and 41,930 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in 2006.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and others that can be found in Amgen's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and in Amgen's periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those Amgen projects. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, preclinical results do not guarantee safe and effective performance of product candidates in humans. The complexity of the human body cannot be perfectly, or sometimes, even adequately modeled by computer or cell culture systems or animal models. The length of time that it takes for Amgen to complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for product marketing has in the past varied and Amgen expects similar variability in the future. Amgen develops product candidates internally and through licensing collaborations, partnerships and joint ventures. Product candidates that are derived from relationships may be subject to disputes between the parties or may prove to be not as effective or as safe as Amgen may have believed at the time of entering into such relationship. Also, Amgen or others could identify side effects or manufacturing problems with Amgen's products after they are on the market.

In addition, sales of Amgen's products are affected by the availability of reimbursement and the reimbursement policies imposed by third party payors, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers, and may be affected by domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment as well as possible U.S. legislation affecting pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement. Government regulations and reimbursement policies may affect the development, usage and pricing of Amgen's products. In addition, Amgen competes with other companies with respect to some of Amgen's marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Amgen believes that some of the newer products, product candidates or new indications for existing products, may face competition when and as they are approved and marketed. Amgen products may compete against products that have lower prices, established reimbursement, superior performance, are easier to administer, or that are otherwise competitive with our products.

In addition, while Amgen routinely obtains patents for Amgen's products and technology, the protection offered by Amgen's patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by Amgen's competitors and there can be no guarantee of Amgen's ability to obtain or maintain patent protection for Amgen's products or product candidates. Amgen cannot guarantee that it will be able to produce commercially successful products or maintain the commercial success of Amgen's existing products. Amgen's stock price may be affected by actual or perceived market opportunity, competitive position, and success or failure of Amgen's products or product candidates. Further, the discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of Amgen's products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on Amgen's business and results of operations.

The scientific information discussed in this news release related to our product candidates is preliminary and investigative. Such product candidates are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and no conclusions can or should be drawn regarding the safety or effectiveness of the product candidates. Only the FDA can determine whether the product candidates are safe and effective for the use(s) being investigated.

Further, the scientific information discussed in this news release relating to new indications for our products is preliminary and investigative and is not part of the labeling approved by the FDA for the products. The products are not approved for the investigational use(s) discussed in this news release, and no conclusions can or should be drawn regarding the safety or effectiveness of the products for these uses. Only the FDA can determine whether the products are safe and effective for these uses. Healthcare professionals should refer to and rely upon the FDA-approved labeling for the products, and not the information discussed in this news release.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An electronic version of this news release may be accessed via our Web site at www.amgen.com. Journalists and media representatives may sign up to receive all news releases electronically at time of announcement by filling out a short form in the Media section of the Web site.

SOURCE: Amgen Inc.


CONTACT: Amgen Trish Hawkins, 805-447-4587 (media) Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060 (investors)

Copyright Business Wire 2006

Betsydoglover said:

Right, Lisa - great research. And any drug whose name ends in "mab" is highly likely to be a "monoclonal antibody", like for example Avastin (bevacizumab) or Erbitux (Cetuximab).

Take care,
Betsy