Ascentia Biomedical Corporation Further Defines Option Agreement With University of Washington for Anti-Cancer Compound

BELLEVUE, Wash., Aug. 31  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ascentia Biomedical Corporation (OTC Pink Sheets: ASCE), a leading researcher and developer of efficacious pharmaceuticals, compounds and other products, announces additional details on the novel compounds covered in the option agreement with the University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Dr. Keith Knutson (Mayo Clinic), an internationally recognized oncology researcher and consultant and member of Ascentia's Scientific Advisory Board who will spearhead Ascentia's oncology research, discusses the potential use of these compounds in the treatment of cancer.

Dr. Knutson said, "It is now well accepted that immunity to tumor antigens can be elicited with the use of vaccines.  Now, the major goal of the biotechnology industry is to identify the vaccine adjuvants, called 'danger signals,' which elicit an immune response that can destroy tumors.  Many currently tested molecules and compounds fail to activate tumor rejection responses despite eliciting potent immunity.  These adjuvants have been shown to induce tumor rejection responses in a mouse model of breast cancer, the neu-transgenic animal.  As an example of the adjuvant activity of these novel compounds, animals that were immunized with tumor antigens along with the novel adjuvants had tumors about 1/4th the size of control animals 50 days following tumor development.  Furthermore, other adjuvants that are known to enhance immunity when used in parallel studies failed to control tumor growth. Another important finding was that the inclusion of Ascentia's novel adjuvants led to a strong recall response to antigens suggesting that the 'immunologic memory' was induced, an ideal outcome of immunization that can lead to long lasting protection against tumor."

  These compounds will also be examined for additional indications:
   *  As a treatment for sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by
      infection
   *  As a treatment for autoimmune disorders such as arthritis
   *  As an adjuvant for vaccines used in the prevention of multiple
      diseases.



Dr. James Clagett, President and CEO of Ascentia, said, "We are pleased and excited about these early findings in the mouse model which is a clinically relevant model of the human breast cancer.  Ascentia's scientific team plans to quickly conduct further testing of the lead compound for cancer treatment in the effort to file it as an Investigational New Drug (IND) with the FDA.  Drs. Clagett (CEO) and Reife (CSO) will lead the development of the other compounds for the treatment of sepsis and autoimmune diseases and as vaccine adjuvants."

About Ascentia Biomedical Corporation

Our focus is SOLUTIONS through RESEARCH and DISCOVERY. Ascentia is developing and commercializing new pharmaceutical and biomedical products for application in a number of areas, including treatment for asthma, arthritis, psoriasis and cancer.  Initially, a majority of these products will be secured through direct purchase or through licensing. As the Company grows and evolves, more products will be developed internally. Ascentia is focused on therapies for cancer and diseases of inflammation.

For more information visit the Company's website at: http://www.ascentiabiomedical.com/

Certain statements contained herein are "forward looking" statements as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied and include, but are not limited to, those discussed in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

DATASOURCE: Ascentia Biomedical Corporation



CONTACT:  Dr. James Clagett, President & CEO of Ascentia Biomedical

Corporation, [phone]; or investor relations, Jim Drewitz,

[phone], for Ascentia Biomedical Corporation



Web site:  http://www.ascentiabiomedical.com/ 

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