Neurobiological Technologies' Partner, Celtic Pharma, Announces Results of XERECEPT(R) Phase 3 Clinic...(cute exacerbation of edema-associated sy...),Health

Brain Scans and Preclinical Studies

Celtic Pharma has been able to collect over 500 brain scans from patients on these XERECEPT(R) studies, and has submitted them to an independent center for blinded review. This review is ongoing, and to date the scans from 93 patients have been evaluated. The review indicates 75 percent of these patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors appear to have stable disease after six months of treatment with XERECEPT(R), with nine percent of these patients showing reductions in tumor size of 50 percent or greater.

Celtic Pharma also announced today the results from several preclinical studies of XERECEPT(R) in established brain tumor models, in addition to assessment of angiogenesis inhibition potential. These placebo-controlled studies were conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York as well as Duke University and the Piedmont Research Center, both in North Carolina. The tumor assessment studies were conducted using both pediatric and adult human brain tumor xenografts. The mouse tumor models demonstrated statistically significant tumor regression and prolongation of survival following treatment with XERECEPT(R). XERECEPT(R) also demonstrated significant dose-related angiogenesis inhibition, comparable in this model, as assessed by the laboratory, to results seen with Sutent.(R) These preclinical findings demonstrate that XERECEPT(R) has direct antitumor and angiogenesis inhibition activity, in these models.

John Mayo, co-Managing General Partner of Celtic Pharma, said "This product has great steroid-sparing potential. The anti tumor effects observed in preclinical studies also open up further valuable market opportunities."

XERECEPT(R) is an investigational new drug under development as a steroid-sparing alternative to dexamethasone for patients with primary
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