Kuros Biosciences Ltd.

Legal Proceedings Report • Apr 21, 2009

News Details

Corporate | 21 April 2009 17:35

Cytos Biotechnology Ltd: Start of phase IIa study with CYT003-QbG10 monotherapy in patients with allergic asthma bronchiale

Cytos Biotechnology AG / Miscellaneous

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory
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The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Schlieren (Zurich), Switzerland, April 21, 2009 - Cytos Biotechnology Ltd
(SIX:CYTN) announced today that it has initiated a phase IIa clinical study
with CYT003-QbG10, an immunotherapeutic product candidate for the
allergen-independent treatment of allergy and asthma. The study is a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study to evaluate
the safety, tolerability and exploratory efficacy of CYT003-QbG10 in 60
patients with persistent allergic asthma bronchiale. First results are
expected to be available in H1 2010.

CYT003-QbG10 is based on Cytos Biotechnology's modified Immunodrug(TM)
platform, which encompasses the virus-like particle Qb filled with the
immunostimulatory DNA sequence G10. CYT003-QbG10 is designed as a
disease-modifying treatment and aims to alter the immunological milieu and
the allergic immune cell responses to ameliorate disease symptoms. In
contrast to conventional immunotherapy approaches, which are all based on
allergen components, CYT003-QbG10 is free of allergen and is thought to act
through an allergen-independent mechanism. The use of an
allergen-independent agent would not only simplify treatment for multiple
allergies but may also allow application in patients with severe allergies
and asthma for whom conventional immunotherapy approaches are not
recommended as exposure to allergens may cause serious side-effects. In a
recent phase II study CYT003-QbG10 showed a beneficial treatment effect in
a subgroup of patients with allergic asthma, thus providing a rationale for
further development of CYT003-QbG10 in this important indication with high
unmet medical need.

About allergic asthma bronchiale

Asthma bronchiale (usually referred to as asthma) is a chronic inflammatory
disorder of the airways that causes breathlessness, chest tightness,
coughing and wheezing in susceptible individuals. Allergic asthma is the
most common form of asthma affecting around 150 million people worldwide
(1). It is further the most common chronic disease among children. Allergic
asthma is triggered by inhaled allergens such as dust mite allergen, animal
dander or pollen. Currently, there are three general approaches being
pursued to relieve the clinical manifestations of allergic asthma:
avoidance of the allergen, symptomatic treatment to alleviate acute
consequences of allergen exposure or chronic consequences of inflammatory
processes, and conventional immunotherapy, also known as desensitization,
which is the only treatment available that has a disease-modifying
long-term effect. Conventional immunotherapy, however, is time-consuming
(3-5 years) and with up to 80 allergen injections also inconvenient for the
patient. In addition, there is a risk of serious side-effects in response
to allergen exposure, which can even include anaphylaxis. Recent
developments thus aim at shortened desensitization regimens with modified
allergens.

Reference

(1) World Health Organization; Asthma - Key facts; Fact Sheet No. 307, May
2008, and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), Asthma facts and
figures, www.aafa.org, 2008

About Cytos Biotechnology

Cytos Biotechnology Ltd is a public Swiss biotechnology company that
specializes in the discovery, development and commercialization of a new
class of biopharmaceutical products - the Immunodrugs(TM). Immunodrugs(TM)
are intended for use in the treatment and prevention of common chronic
diseases, which afflict millions of people worldwide. Immunodrugs(TM) are
designed to instruct the patient's immune system to produce desired
therapeutic antibody or T cell responses that modulate chronic disease
processes. Taking advantage of the high flexibility of its Immunodrug(TM)
platform, Cytos Biotechnology has built a diversified pipeline of different
Immunodrug(TM) candidates in various disease areas, of which five are
currently in clinical development. The Immunodrug(TM) candidates are
developed both in-house and together with Novartis, Pfizer, and Pfizer
Animal Health. Founded in 1995 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, the company is located in
Schlieren (Zurich). Currently, the company has 133 employees. Cytos
Biotechnology Ltd is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX:CYTN).

This foregoing press release may contain forward-looking statements that
include words or phrases such as 'evaluate', 'expected', 'aim', 'is thought
to', 'may', 'would', 'can/could', 'designed', 'intend' or other similar
expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of
significant uncertainties, including scientific, business, economic and
financial factors, and therefore actual results may differ significantly
from those presented. There can be no assurance that any further
therapeutic entities will enter clinical trials, that clinical trial
results will be predictive for future results, that therapeutic entities
will be the subject of filings for regulatory approval, that any drug
candidates will receive marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration or equivalent regulatory authorities, or that drugs will be
marketed successfully. Against the background of these uncertainties
readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. The company assumes
no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or adapt them to
future events or developments. This document does not constitute an offer
or invitation to subscribe or purchase any securities of Cytos
Biotechnology Ltd.

Claudine Blaser, PhD
Corporate Communications
Cytos Biotechnology Ltd
Wagistrasse 25, Postfach
CH-8952 Schlieren
Tel. +41 44 733 47 20
Fax. +41 44 733 47 18
e-mail: claudine.blaser@cytos.com
www.cytos.com
21.04.2009 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

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Language: English
Issuer: Cytos Biotechnology AG
Wagistr. 25
8952 Schlieren
Schweiz
Phone: +41 44 733 4747
Fax: +41 44 733 4740
E-mail: info@cytos.com
Internet: www.cytos.com
ISIN: CH0011025217, CH0029060735
WKN: -
Listed: Freiverkehr in Berlin, München, Stuttgart; Open Market in
Frankfurt; Foreign Exchange(s) SWX

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