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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. Obtains Pivotal European Patent Related To Monoclonal Antibody Passive Immunization Treatment Of Alzheimer's DiseaseIntellect Neurosciences, Inc. Obtains Pivotal European Patent Related To Monoclonal
Antibody Passive Immunization Treatment Of Alzheimer's Disease
Thursday July 31, 6:10 am ET
NEW YORK, July 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: ILNS - News) announced today it has obtained a European patent relating to the
Company's ANTISENILIN® monoclonal antibody platform for the treatment of Alzheimer's
disease. The claims of the issued patent cover the ANTISENILIN® "free-end specific"
antibodies that bind to beta amyloid and use of the antibodies in preventing or inhibiting the
progression of Alzheimer's disease. The technology is designed to promote the clearance of beta
amyloid which accumulates to reach toxic concentrations in the brains of Alzheimer's patients
while reducing the potential for adverse side-effects. Importantly, such drugs avoid binding and
thereby potentially interfering with the functions of the Amyloid Precursor Protein, which is an
important physiological regulator in the body implicated in controlling essential brain functions
as well as blood coagulation. The Company recently disclosed that it has granted a royaltybearing
license to Wyeth and Elan Pharma International Ltd. regarding patents and patent
applications related to antibodies and methods of treatment for Alzheimer's disease, including
Bapineuzumab, currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. The Company retains the ability to grant
additional licenses under its ANTISENILIN® monoclonal antibody technology invented by Dr.
Daniel Chain, the Company's Chairman and CEO. The ANTISENILIN® patents have previously
issued in China, Japan and other countries.
Dr. Chain commented: "The grant of the European Patent represents an important milestone with
respect to our strategy, which is to leverage our monoclonal antibody patent estate by licensing it
to a number of major pharmaceutical companies with drug candidates in clinical development.
The grant of the patent triggers a milestone payment under our contract with Wyeth and Elan and
provides us the potential opportunity to receive royalties based on product sales in Europe, in
addition to Japan and other countries. The European market is estimated to be one of the largest
markets outside the United States, representing more than six million victims of Alzheimer's
disease". Dr. Chain added: "Meanwhile, Intellect is proceeding with the preclinical development
of its own drug candidate, IN-N01, which we are engineering with the aim of minimizing its
potential to cause inflammation in the brain and thereby possibly increase the frequency and dose
at which it can be administered. The effectiveness of our strategy will ultimately need to be
tested in patient clinical trials".
"Dr. Chain's prophetic discovery and pioneering work relating to monoclonal antibodies for the
treatment of Alzheimer's disease contributed in an important way to the development of a new
class of therapeutic products that may slow or arrest the progression of this dreadful disease,"
commented Professor Blas Frangione, Professor of Pathology and Psychiatry and Head of
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, New York University.
About Intellect's Immunotherapy Platforms for Alzheimer's disease
An accumulation of beta amyloid protein fragments in the brain is thought to be the root cause of
Alzheimer's disease. The fragments are generated as a product of metabolism from the much
larger Amyloid Precursor Protein which is present in most tissues in the body and implicated in
numerous important physiological functions. Intellect's immunotherapy approach for Alzheimer's
disease involves making an antibody molecule available to bind to the beta-amyloid toxin, thus
promoting its clearance away from sites of damage in the brain. This therapeutic outcome can be
potentially achieved either by administering an externally generated monoclonal antibody
(passive immunization) or by provoking the patient's immune system to generate such an
antibody (active immunization). Both approaches have the potential to slow or arrest disease
progression provided that key safety issues are addressed. Of particular importance is the need to
avoid interfering with the physiological roles of the Amyloid Precursor Protein. Intellect's has
incorporated proprietary safety features into its ANTISENILIN® monoclonal antibody and
RECALL-VAX(TM) technology platforms for both passive and active immunization,
respectively to minimize the potential for adverse side-effects by generating antibodies that bind
only the toxic beta amyloid and not the Amyloid Precursor Protein. These features and
supporting patent position provides the Company with a strong competitive advantage in this
field.
About Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is characterized by progressive loss of
memory and cognition, ultimately leading to complete debilitation and death. A hallmark feature
of Alzheimer's pathology is the presence of insoluble protein deposits known as beta-amyloid on
the surface of nerve cells, which results from the accumulation of soluble beta-amyloid in the
brain. The effects of the disease are devastating to the patients as well as the caregivers, with
significant associated health care costs. It is estimated that there are more than 5 million
Americans and about 30 million people suffering from Alzheimer's disease world wide with the
number expected to increase dramatically as the global population ages. Currently marketed
drugs transiently affect some of the symptoms of the disease, but there are no drugs on the
market today that slow or arrest the progression of the disease. These symptomatic drugs are
projected to generate more than $6 billion in sales by 2010, indicating both the size of the market
and the demand for effective treatment beyond symptomatic improvements.
About Intellect Neurosciences, Inc.
Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and
development of disease-modifying therapeutic agents for the treatment and prevention of
Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. The company has a broad proprietary immunotherapy
platform for both passive and active immunization against Alzheimer's disease. Also, Intellect
has recently completed Phase I clinical trials for OXIGON(TM), which has potential to treat
Alzheimer's disease and other serious disorders.
For additional information, please visit http://www.intellectns.com, or contact:
Elliot Maza, JD, CPA
President & Chief Financial Officer Intellect Neurosciences, Inc.
7 West 18th Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10011,
USA Tel: +1-212-448-9300
Safe Harbor Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this release and oral statements made by representatives of Intellect relating to
matters that are not historical facts (including without limitation those regarding future
performance or financial results, the timing or potential outcomes of research collaborations or
clinical trials, any market that might develop for any of Intellect's product candidates and the
sufficiency of Intellect's cash and other capital resources) are forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the likelihood that actual
performance or results could materially differ, that future research will prove successful, the
likelihood that any product in the research pipeline will receive regulatory approval in the United
States or abroad, or Intellect's ability to fund such efforts with or without partners. Intellect
undertakes no obligation to update any of these statements. Readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the date hereof.
Accordingly any forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction with the additional
risks and uncertainties detailed in Intellect's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in Intellect's
Annual Report on Form 10-KSBA (file no. 1-10615) filed on October 19, 2007, and our
Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, filed on December
10, 2007 (file no. 1-10615), and for the quarter ended December 31, 2007, filed on February 19,
2007.
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