( ASCO publication highlights health care...)XYOTAX More Cost Effective With Fewer Side Effects Than Gemcitabine,or Vinorelbine in Treating Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,Health

CHICAGO, June 05, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) announced that data published in the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) abstracts showed reduced medical resource utilization (MRU) and associated costs with XYOTAX (paclitaxel polyglumex) treatment compared to gemcitabine or vinorelbine in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The total average treatment cost, excluding drug costs, for XYOTAX patients was nearly half the cost of treatment for patients on standard chemotherapy ($2,518 vs. $4,834 per patient) and was associated with a significant reduction in many of the toxic side effects.

"This analysis shows XYOTAX, when used as a single agent and compared with standard single agent therapy with either gemcitabine or vinorelbine in NSCLC patients, had comparable efficacy as measured by overall survival. But notably, patients treated with XYOTAX had a clinical benefit in its side effect profile, and a substantial cost advantage over the standard agents," said Jack W. Singer, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of CTI. "These are important data in support of the clinical benefits associated with XYOTAX."

Medical Resource Utilization (MRU) and Costs Associated with XYOTAX(TM) (paclitaxel poliglumex; PPX) Compared to Gemcitabine (Gem) or Vinorelbine (Vin) In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients (Abstract #18172)

MRU data were collected as part of a multinational, randomized trial (STELLAR 4) that compared XYOTAX (n=191) to gemcitabine or vinorelbine (n=190) in patients with advanced NSCLC who had not previously received chemotherapy and who had poor performance status (PS2). MRU and costs associated with chemotherapy administration and non-protocol-driven care were compared over the study period.

The results showed patien
'"/>