Preclinical Results to be presented at American Association for Cancer Research

Eagan, MN – April 10, 2005 – Preclinical research demonstrating that Imprime™ PGG Biothera primes key immune cells to attack and destroy cancer will be presented April 19 at the 96th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, CA.

Researchers at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, the University of Louisville, have discovered the mechanism by which Imprime PGG, a soluble beta glucan, engages the most abundant immune cell in the body to fight cancer. Inside the body, Imprime PGG is broken down by macrophages into fragments that bind to neutrophils, key innate immune cells. The primed neutrophils target tumors with complement, a blood protein, and antibodies present on their surface.

“Neutrophils are not normally engaged in the fight against cancer because they do not recognize it as nonself,” said Jun Yan, M.D., Ph.D., researcher at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center. “Imprime PGG enables neutrophils to 'see' cancer as it does other foreign challenges, and kill it.”

In preclinical lymphoma and ovarian cancer models, a significant increase in anti-tumor activity was observed when Imprime PGG was administered in combination with a monoclonal antibody (Mab), compared with the results of Mab therapy alone.

The research findings are similar to those published last year observing that orally administered Imprime™ WGP from Biothera primes neutrophils to attack and destroy tumors coated with complement and antibodies (The Journal of Immunology, 2004, 173: 797–806).

Dr. Yan’s research presentation for the American Association for Cancer Research will be entitled, “Imprime PGG [formerly PGG-Betafectin], a soluble b(1,3: 1,6) glucan, is processed by macrophages into an active moiety capable of priming neutrophil CR3 (CD11b) for cytotoxicity against iC3b- and monoclonal antibody-opsonized tumors.”

The research was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, Department of Defense, Kentucky Lung Cancer Research Program, and research gift funds from Biothera.

About Biothera, the Immune Health Company
Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health. The company's primary focus is developing pharmaceuticals whose unique mechanism of action engages immune cells not normally involved in the fight against cancer. In addition, Biothera’s healthcare group manufactures and markets food-grade immune-enhancing ingredients for the nutritional supplement, functional food, cosmetic and the animal feed and nutrition markets.

Contact:
David Walsh
VP, Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606
dwalsh@biotherapharma.com