Antisoma cuts losses as revenues improve

UK-based biopharmaceutical company Antisoma says that revenues for thesix months ended December 2000 reached L1.7 million (compared with nil in the like, 1999 period), as a result of which the operating loss reduced slightly, from just under L5 million to L4.3 million. The firm's loss per share declined from 6.9 pence to 4.7 pence.

In its round-up of important events for the period, Antisoma notes that TheraFab, a radiolabeled antibody treatment for lung cancer, entered clinical studies last month. Also, Theragyn (pemtumomab) entered Phase II, with recruitment expected to reach the target of 300 patients this quarter. In addition, a large-scale Good Manufacturing Practice capability has now been put in place in advance of Phase IIa studies of Therex, a humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of breast cancer.

Moreover, Antisoma notes that: a new preclinical anti-angiogenesis development program commenced using humanized MAb BC-1; and Thioplatin, a tumor-targeting version of a platinum-based drug that forms the gold-standard treatment for solid tumors (including lung, ovarian and testicular cancers), was licensed-in. The latter was developed by Eberhard Amtmann at the German Cancer Research Center, the DKFZ, based in Heidelberg.