Cambridge Antibody - Re Clinical Trials

RNS No 5487f
CAMBRIDGE ANTIBODY TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC
9 June 1999


For Further Information Contact
Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc
Dr David Chiswell, Chief Executive Officer       Tel: [phone]
John Aston, Finance Director
Dr David Glover, Medical Director


HCC De Facto
City/Financial, Sue Charles                      Tel: [phone]
Trade/Science, Andrew Worsfold               
       


       
D2E7 - FURTHER CLINICAL DATA

Melbourn, UK   New data on D2E7 from clinical trials conducted by BASF Pharma
are being presented today at the EULAR '99 conference.  D2E7 is the fully
human anti-TNF alpha monoclonal antibody, which was developed in a
collaboration between BASF Pharma's Bioresearch Corporation and Cambridge
Antibody Technology ("CAT").

The data presented are from a study of D2E7 in combination with methotrexate
in 54 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.  The randomised double blind
placebo controlled study involved a single injection of D2E7 given either i.v.
or s.c.  The results demonstrate that D2E7 is both well tolerated and
efficacious when given i.v. or s.c. in combination with methotrexate.


Notes to editors:

TNF alpha
TNF alpha is a pro-inflammatory cytokine found in the human body.  It is
believed to increase tissue damage in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid
arthritis.

CAT
CAT is a UK biotechnology company using its proprietary technologies in fully
human monoclonal antibodies for drug discovery and drug development.  Based in
Melbourn, 10 miles south of Cambridge, England, CAT currently employs around
150 people.  In March 1997, CAT completed its initial public offering and
listing on the London Stock Exchange, raising approximately #41 million.

CAT has a world-leading platform technology for rapidly isolating fully human
monoclonal antibodies using phage display systems.  CAT has an extensive phage
display antibody library, currently incorporating around 100 billion distinct
antibodies. This library forms the basis for the company's strategy to develop
a portfolio of clinical development programmes and for discovering new drug
leads using functional genomics.  The first two antibody products it developed
started clinical trials in 1997, in inflammation and fibrosis.

CAT has a number of license and collaborative agreements in place with
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies including: Eli Lilly, Pfizer, BASF
Pharma, Genentech, ICOS Corporation, Genetics Institute/BASF Pharma and
Wyeth-Ayerst.


BASF Pharma
BASF Pharma is the label used to designate the global corporate pharmaceutical
operations of BASF Aktiengesellschaft with headquarters based at Knoll AG in
Ludwigshafen, Germany.   In 1998, BASF Pharma sales amounted to DM4.51
billion, representing an increase of 10 per cent over the preceding year.  The
work-force numbers more than 13,000.  

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