BioAlliance presents AMEP preclinical, phase I clinical results for melanoma at Electrochemotherapy Meeting

“These preliminary results confirm the interest of the anti-invasive AMEP®biotherapy in BioAlliance's clinical programme portfolio; it represents a potential disrupting technology project”

BioAlliance Pharma SA (Euronext Paris - BIO), a company dedicated to the supportive care and treatment of cancer patients, presented preclinical and promising preliminary phase I clinical results with its AMEP^® biotherapy at the "Electrochemotherapy 1st International Users' Meeting"(Bologna, Italy, November 19-20, 2010).

The AMEP^®biotherapy is indicated for metastatic and invasive melanoma, an advanced skin cancer refractory to most treatments. Its original mechanism of action targets specific receptors (integrins), particularly expressed by melanoma cells, both involved in tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis.

Preclinical efficacy and safety results supporting ongoing phase I clinical trial were presented. This latter trial evaluates safety and efficacy of intratumoral electrotransfer of AMEP^® biotherapy in patients suffering from advanced or metastatic melanoma. It is being conducted in 3 specialized centers: in Denmark at the Copenhagen University Herlev Hospital, in France at the Gustave Roussy Institute of Villejuif and in Slovenia at the Institute of Oncology of Ljubljana.

Preliminary phase I clinical trial results showed a satisfactory safety and a well accepted electrotransfer technology in the first patients treated with the AMEP^®biotherapy

"These preliminary results confirm the interest of the anti-invasive AMEP^®biotherapy in BioAlliance's clinical programme portfolio; it represents a potential disrupting technology project", explains Pierre Attali, COO of BioAlliance Pharma, in charge of Strategy and Medical Affairs. "This program is co-financed by OSEO's Strategic Industrial Innovation Programme to the "Cancer Anti-invasive Program" (CAP) consortium,associating the academic research, industrials and melanoma clinicians. This high quality consortium extends the scope of the program to a "companion" markers research, helpful in the follow-up of these severe patients", adds Dominique Costantini, CEO.