CIMAB announces the receipt of a Notification of Grant from the Singapore Patent Office for its patent of 14F7 monoclonal antibody.

Havana City, Cuba, Feb 10th, 2003 - The Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM, Havana, Cuba) and its commercial branch CIMAB SA (www.cim.sld.cu) are proud to announce that the Singapore Patent Office has issued a Certificate of Grant of Patent for its patent "monoclonal antibody which recognizes the oligosaccharide N-glycolylated-galactose-glucose sialic acid (NGcGM3) in malignant tumors and composition containing it" (Patent No 68263, Notification of Grant dated December 09, 2002).

This Patent Certificate expands the scope of the existing patent coverage, and enhances the strength and value of the patent estate, which already includes patents granted in Russia and United States (US6,429,295).

The 14F7 monoclonal antibody (Mab) is currently waiting to start patient enrollment in a Phase I imaging trial in breast cancer with the 99mTc-labelled Mab. The 14F7 Mab. has shown a strong staining in breast, melanoma (Hybridoma, 1995, 14: 551-556) and colorectal tissues. While treatment with 14F7 Mab induced 60-70 % tumor rejection in mice challenged with PX63 myeloma.

N-Glycolyl GM3 is considered a heterophilic antigen since is not present in all species, humans are normally lacking them. The discovery of the presence of this molecule in significant amounts in breast tumors (Marquina G. et al, Cancer Res 56: 5165-5171, 1996) allowed to consider it as an advantageous target for cancer immunotherapy.

Currently CIM has the recombinant 14F7 monoclonal antibody under development with a proprietary humanization method (US 5712120).


The product originates from the Center of Molecular Immunology in Havana, Cuba and is commercialized by CIMAB S.A.

About CIMAB S.A.
CIMAB SA is the commercial branch of the Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM). CIM is one a the centers of the Scientific Pole in Cuba devoted to research, development and manufacturing human biotech products, and CIMAB the marketing company. CIM research programs are focused in the areas of cancer therapeutics, autoimmune diseases and renal transplant. CIM utilizes its platform technology and development capabilities to facilitate the rapid and cost-effective discovery and development of novel anti-cancer drugs.



For more information, please contact:

Normando Iznaga-Escobar, MSc
Head Division Business and Development,
CIMAB SA
Street 206, No. 1926, Atabey, Playa,
Havana 11600, Cuba

Phone: (53 7) 271 5057, 271 6275
Fax: (53 7) 33 3509, 33 5049
Email: normando@ict.cim.sld.cu
Web page: www.cim.sld.cu




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