Ganymed Announces License Of Wt1 Immunotherapy Rights By Corixa And Kirin

Mainz, Germany (June 08, 2004) - Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Mainz, Germany, announced today that Corixa Corporation (Nasdaq: CRXA), USA, and Kirin Brewery, Japan, have acquired a license under Ganymed's WT1 immunotherapy patents. Corixa is developing WT1 cancer vaccine products in collaboration with Kirin Brewery. Under the terms of the agreement, Ganymed will be entitled to an upfront payment, license fees, and royalties on the sale of successfully commercialized products.

The WT1 antigen is substantially over-expressed in up to 80 percent of adult leukemias, including acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) and myelodysplasia (MDS). The goal of Corixa's WT1 cancer vaccine program is to develop a therapeutic WT1 vaccine that generates a T cell response capable of killing tumor cells that express WT1. Data in murine models show that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can kill malignant cells that express WT1 with a high degree of safety.

In addition to its expression in leukemia cells, WT1 is expressed in several solid tumors, suggesting that this antigen might also prove to be a valid target for a tumor vaccine for other indications. For example, Corixa has demonstrated that human WT1-specific CTL recognize human melanoma and some other cancer cells.

"We are extremely pleased to enter into agreement with Corixa and Kirin." said Dirk L. Sebastian, Chief Operating Officer of Ganymed. "We are confident that WT1-based immunotherapeutic development programs will result in highly effective targeted therapeutics against cancer."

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Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG is developing targeted immunotherapeutics against cancer, based on highly selective cancer specific antigen targets. Using its Virtual Cloning, MembranomicsTM, Splice Display, and MicroGATETM technologies, Ganymed is establishing a broad patent portfolio for target structures selectively expressed in frequent cancers, including cancer of lung, breast, colon, pancreas, stomach, ovary and prostate. Ganymed.s dual business strategy generates early income and value by outlicensing validated antigens, and long term value by developing immunotherapeutics, in-house, and in strategic alliances with leading biotech or pharmaceutical companies.


For further inquiries please contact:

Dirk L. Sebastian, COO
GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG
Freiligrathstr. 12, D-55131 Mainz
Tel.: +49-(0)-6131-14-40-100
Fax: +49-(0)-6131-14-40-1114 eMail:info@ganymed-pharmaceuticals.com 


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