Agensys, Inc. announced today the initiation of investigational human use of AGS-PSCA in the first Phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Agensys, Inc., a cancer biotechnology company, and Merck & Co., Inc. today announced that they have formed a global alliance to jointly develop and commercialize AGS-PSCA, Agensys' fully human monoclonal antibody (MAb) to Prostate Stem Cell Antigen (PSCA).

The mainstay in the management of invasive bladder cancer continues to be radical cystectomy. With regard to improvement of quality of life, however, therapies that preserve the bladder are desirable. We investigated the use of intravesical PLK-1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) against bladder cancer.

The essentials * Bladder cancer is the fourth most common form of cancer in the UK. * Smoking increases the risk of bladder cancer by up to four times. * Haematuria should suggest bladder cancer until proven otherwise. * Most cases of bladder cancer are superficial at the time of diagnosis.