Data Presented at ASH Annual Meeting Indicates the Potential of T-Cell Engaging BiTE Antibody Blinatumomab as a Consolidation Treatment for Aggressive...( Interim Data from a Phase 2 Clinical ...)

Interim Data from a Phase 2 Clinical Trial in B-Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Show that Blinatumomab is Able to Eliminate Minimal Residual Disease

BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, yesterday presented first interim data from a phase 2 clinical trial of BiTE(R) antibody blinatumomab (MT103/MEDI-538) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Blinatumomab is a novel therapeutic antibody that activates a patient's T cells to seek out and destroy cancer cells. The presentation took place at the 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, held December 6 to 9 in San Francisco, CA.

The patients in this phase 2 clinical trial are in complete hematological remission following intense chemotherapy regimens, but retain ALL cancer cells in their bone marrow - so called minimal residual disease (MRD). Various reports have confirmed that ALL patients with MRD following chemotherapy have a significantly worse prognosis than patients without MRD. Interim results for the ongoing phase 2 clinical trial of blinatumomab for ALL find the BiTE antibody was able to eliminate MRD. Six patients have been enrolled so far in the trial. Four patients have concluded at least two cycles of therapy with blinatumomab. Three out of these four patients turned MRD-negative after the first treatment cycle. One patient achieved stable disease after the first treatment cycle and does not show signs of hematological relapse to date. Except for one patient with a port infection, no severe toxicities were recorded so far.

"Today patients with MRD-positive ALL after first line therapy have very few options for treatment, and a very
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