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Endocyte begins Phase 1 trial of EC145 for treatment of refractory solid tumorsWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – April 20, 2006 – Endocyte Inc., today announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial with EC145, a folate-targeted cytotoxic anti-cancer drug. The open-label, non-randomized, dose escalation study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of EC145 and to identify the dose to be used in future Phase 2 efficacy trials. Trial details can be found online.Folate receptors are commonly found on the surface of many types of tumor cells, but they are relatively rare in most non-cancerous tissue. By combining folate with anti-cancer agents, researchers at Endocyte are working to develop a new class of therapeutics capable of targeting folate receptors and delivering active anti-cancer drugs directly into tumor cells. ''We are very encouraged by the results of pre-clinical studies that have demonstrated the ability of folate-targeted therapies to deliver anti-cancer agents into tumor cells,'' said Christopher P. Leamon, Ph.D., Vice President of Research at Endocyte. ''Endocyte’s proprietary targeting technology enables anti-cancer drugs to reach tumor cells more specifically through a process that is also hypothesized to reduce the risk of toxicity to healthy tissues.'' EC145 combines a folate vitamin analogue with a microtubule destabilizing anticancer drug. This technology enables the delivery of this anti-cancer agent to folate receptors, which are commonly found on tumor cells. The drug subsequently is absorbed by these cells, leading to their destruction. ''EC145 is the first of several folate-drug conjugates in our development pipeline, and it represents a promising application of our receptor-targeting technology platform,'' said P. Ron Ellis, President and CEO of Endocyte. ''Research results thus far indicate that therapies based on our folate receptor targeting technology could deliver potent anti-cancer agents to cells associated with many carcinomas, including those of the ovary, kidney, brain, lung, breast and endometrium.'' Endocyte Receptor Targeting Technology In collaboration with Purdue University, researchers from Endocyte have developed and patented a novel receptor-targeted drug-delivery system. The company's initial focus is on drugs targeting receptors for the vitamin folic acid, which are often over expressed on cancer cells. With this technology, folate molecules are ''tagged'' or combined with anti-cancer agents. The folate component binds to a folate receptor which then pulls the folate molecule inside the cell along with the anti-cancer drug to complete the targeted delivery process. About Endocyte Endocyte Inc., is located at Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Ind., and is developing novel drug and diagnostic therapies based on a proprietary receptor-targeting technology that is designed to improve the treatment of a wide range of cancers and other diseases. The company has several products in clinical development, including EC20, a targeted diagnostic agent; EC17, a targeted immunotherapy; and EC145, a folate-targeting, cytotoxic cancer drug. In January 2006, Endocyte also licensed its targeting technology to Bristol-Myers Squibb for the development of epothilone-based chemotherapeutic agents. For further information go online. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve significant risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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