Nektar Therapeutics to present data of NKTR-102 Phase 2 clinical trial in ovarian cancer at 46th ASCO

Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) today announced that results from the Phase 2 clinical trial of NKTR-102 in women with platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer will be presented at the Oral Abstract Session of the Gynecologic Cancer Track during the 46th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The oral presentation of NKTR-102 will occur on Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 11:15 am CT.  Results will be presented by the lead investigator in the NKTR-102 Phase 2 study, Prof. Dr. Ignace Vergote, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.

"We are privileged that the ASCO Scientific Program Committee has accepted our Phase 2 data for NKTR-102 in ovarian cancer for presentation at the Gynecologic Cancer Oral Abstract Session," said Lorianne Masuoka, M.D., Nektar Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.  "The notably high objective response rates seen with single-agent NKTR-102 in heavily pretreated patients with platinum-resistant/refractory disease indicate that NKTR-102 holds great potential as a new therapeutic option for even the most difficult-to-treat population within ovarian cancer.  Further, the data demonstrate that Nektar's proprietary polymer technology can create greatly improved chemotherapeutic candidates with the potential to address significant unmet medical needs for patients with cancer."

The submitted abstract for NKTR-102, titled "Phase II study of NKTR-102 in women with platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer" (Abstract #5013), included response and safety data for 71 patients available as of the date of abstract submission.  Consistently high treatment response rates observed with NKTR-102 across all measures in both treatment arms along with a favorable safety profile are summarized in the ASCO abstract, which is available online at www.asco.org and at Nektar's website at the following url:

http://www.nektar.com/product_pipeline/oncology_nktr-102.html

Full results and additional new data from the Phase 2 study of NKTR-102 in women with ovarian cancer are under ASCO embargo and will be presented at the meeting.  

The company's Phase 1 clinical trial of NKTR-105 in advanced solid tumors will also be featured at ASCO as part of a new poster session, Trials in Progress, at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting.  On Monday, June 7, 2010, a poster titled "Dose-escalation Phase 1 study of NKTR-105, a novel pegylated form of docetaxel" (Abstract #TPS160) will be presented beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT.  NKTR-105 leverages a similar polymer technology to greatly enhance the pharmacologic profile of docetaxel.  Both NKTR-102 and NKTR-105 demonstrate marked reduction in maximum blood concentration with significantly prolonged half-life leading to sustained exposure of the cancer to the active drug.

Nektar To Host Investor Breakfast at ASCO on Monday, June 7, 2010

Nektar will also webcast a presentation to investors and analysts to be held at the 2010 ASCO Meeting on Monday, June 7, 2010 at 8 AM Central Time.  

Panelists at the investor event will include:

• Ignace Vergote, M.D., Ph.D., Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium;
• Robert Coleman, M.D., Director of Clinical Research, Department of Gynecologic Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas; and
• Daniel Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P., Chief Scientific Officer, TGen Clinical Research Services at Scottsdale Healthcare and U.S. Oncology, and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and 2010 recipient of the ASCO David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award Lecture.

The event will be accessible live and by replay and can be accessed from the homepage of the company's website at www.nektar.com beginning on June 7, 2010 at 8:00 AM Central Time.