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Clinical Cancer Research Publishes Paper Comparing CTCs to Imaging in Predicting Overall Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Posted on: Tuesday, 7 November 2006, 09:00 CST

Immunicon Corporation (NASDAQ-GM:IMMC) announced that Clinical Cancer Research published "Circulating Tumor Cells versus Imaging -- Predicting Overall Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer" in the November 1st issue. Principal author, G. Thomas Budd, MD of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation concluded, "Assessment of CTCs is an earlier, more reproducible indication of disease status than current imaging methods. CTCs may be a superior surrogate end point, as they are highly reproducible and correlate better with overall survival than do changes determined by traditional radiology."

In an editorial in the issue, reviewer George W. Sledge, Jr. of the Indiana University Cancer Center said, "The reproducibility of CTC measurement in the Budd study, as opposed to that of standard radiographic techniques, is striking. Assay reproducibility has been the downfall of many a prognostic factor, and the care given to this issue is to be congratulated."

"We are pleased that the work of researchers from major cancer centers across the country has borne out such a clear result," said Leon WMM Terstappen, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer for Immunicon. "It is gratifying that our work in identifying and measuring circulating tumor cells is growing in its clinical applications and supports the important direction to individualize therapy."

Authors of the study noted that the results have implications for both standard care and clinical research: "More accurate determination of treatment effectiveness early in the course of therapy might spare patient toxicity from futile therapy and allow treatment to be changed to a more effective regimen." Co-authors of the study included researchers from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; Washington University, St. Louis; University of Arizona, Tucson; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor; and Immunicon Corporation.

Currently, CT scans are used as the standard of care to assess therapy effectiveness. The radiologist measures individual metastatic tumors that appear on film and calculates "tumor burden." Approximately 10 weeks later, the radiologist compares the number and size of tumors to determine if the tumor burden has increased, decreased or stayed the same. In this study, the variability in disease assessment between two expert radiologists' respective analyses was 15.2%. In contrast, disagreement was only 5.6% when the Circulating Tumor Cell results from two blood tubes were compared.

The potential for circulating tumor cells to be the superior surrogate end point was highlighted by the median overall survival of patients with radiologic nonprogression and greater than 5 CTCs which was significantly shorter than that of patients with radiologic nonprogression and fewer than 5CTCs (15.3 versus 26.9 months). In contrast, median overall survival of patients with radiologic progression and fewer than 5 CTCs was significantly longer than for patients with greater than 5 CTCs who showed progression by radiology (19.9 versus 6.4 months).

Reprints of the article may be obtained by contacting G. Thomas Budd, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, at 216-444-6480 or buddg@ccf.org. Reprints of the editorial may be obtained by contacting George W. Sledge Jr, Indiana Cancer Pavilion, at 317-274-0930 or gsledge@iupui.edu.

About Immunicon Corporation

Immunicon Corporation is developing and commercializing proprietary cell- and molecular-based human diagnostic and life science research products, and is providing certain analytical services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to assist them in developing new therapeutic agents, with an initial focus on cancer disease management. Immunicon has developed platform technologies to identify, count and characterize a small number of rare cells in blood, such as circulating tumor cells and circulating endothelial cells that are important in many diseases and biological processes. Immunicon's products and underlying technology platforms also have application in cancer research and may have applications in other fields of medicine, such as cardiovascular and infectious diseases. For more information, please visit www.immunicon.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are often preceded by words such as "hope,""may,""believe,""anticipate,""plan,""expect,""intend,""assume,""will" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, among others, statements relating to the anticipated clinical utility of Immunicon's products and other statements not of historical fact. Immunicon cautions investors not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release, are based on the current expectations and intent of the management of Immunicon and involve certain factors, such as risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be far different from those suggested by these statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: Immunicon's dependence on Veridex, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, in the field of cancer cell analysis; the ability to earn license and milestone payments under Immunicon's agreement with Veridex; Immunicon's capital and financing needs; research and development and clinical trial expenditures; commercialization of product candidates; Immunicon's ability to obtain licenses from third parties to commercialize products; Immunicon's ability to manage its growth; obtaining necessary regulatory approvals; reliance on third party manufacturers and suppliers; reimbursement by third party payors to Immunicon's customers; compliance with applicable manufacturing standards; retaining key personnel; delays in the development of new products or planned improvements to products; effectiveness of products compared to competitors' products; protection of Immunicon's intellectual property; conflicts with third party intellectual property; product liability lawsuits that may be brought against Immunicon; labor, contract or technical difficulties; and competitive pressures in Immunicon's industry. These factors are discussed in more detail in Immunicon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Immunicon accepts no responsibility for updating the information contained in this press release beyond the published date, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, or for modifications made to this document by Internet or wire services.

"Immunicon" and the Immunicon Corporation logo are registered trademarks of Immunicon Corporation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Source: Business Wire

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