( Clinical Phase I and II data presented ...)Data Demonstrated Metastatic Melanoma Response to Investigational,Immunotherapy Ipilimumab,Health

CHICAGO, June 05, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medarex, Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today presented results from multiple clinical studies of ipilimumab (MDX-010), an investigational immunotherapy, for patients with advanced melanoma. The results demonstrated an anti-tumor response in some patients with advanced melanoma either as a monotherapy or in combination with other therapies. The results of the monotherapy study showed that 19% of patients (17/88) with advanced melanoma treated with ipilimumab experienced control of their disease, including tumor shrinkage and stabilization. The second presentation showed that complete or partial response was achieved in 13% of patients (46/356) with advanced melanoma when treated with ipilimumab alone or in combination with traditional chemotherapy (i.e., dacarbazine), interleukin-2, or a gp100 peptide vaccine. The results of this analysis also indicated that treatment with ipilimumab may take 12 weeks or longer to induce a response. These findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 2007 Annual Meeting in Chicago.

"In recent years, there have been limited advancements in the treatment of melanoma, particularly in the later stages of the disease," said Rachel Humphrey, MD, Vice President of Development at Bristol-Myers Squibb. "These studies represent an important advance in our understanding of how ipilimumab may work as a potential anti-cancer therapy for patients with this devastating disease."

(Abstract #8523) Results from a Phase II dose-escalation trial presented by Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, who was Chief of Oncology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California at the time of the study, suggested that the anti-tumor response evolves over time in certain patients treated with ipil
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