TNOX Tanox (MM)

HOUSTON, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tanox, Inc. (NASDAQ:TNOX) has begun dosing a Phase 1 clinical trial of TNX-650, a humanized monoclonal antibody being evaluated as a potential treatment for moderate-to-severe asthma. The trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose- escalation study of the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of single doses of TNX-650 in healthy volunteers. A total of 32 subjects will be enrolled in four cohorts in the study, which is being conducted at a single site in the U.S. TNX-650 targets Interleukin 13 (IL-13). Preclinical studies indicate that IL-13 is a key mediator of asthma responses, including airway inflammation, obstruction and hyper-reactivity. TNX-650, which has a mechanism of action unique from currently available asthma treatments, has the potential to be a therapeutic option for patients whose disease is not currently well controlled and for non-allergic asthmatics. "Despite therapeutic advances, many asthmatics are still unable to effectively control their symptoms," said Danong Chen, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Tanox. "IL-13 plays a critical role in the development of asthma, and TNX-650 has been shown to be effective in blocking IL-13 function. If successful in the clinic, we believe TNX-650 could be another treatment option to help patients better manage their disease." Moderate-to-severe asthmatics comprise approximately 35 percent of the estimated 17 million asthma patients in the U.S. Tanox is also evaluating the anti-IL-13 effect of TNX-650 as a potential treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial. About Tanox, Inc. Tanox is a biotechnology company specializing in the development of monoclonal antibodies. The company develops innovative biotherapeutics for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases, inflammation, infectious disease and cancer. Tanox's first-approved drug, Xolair(R) (omalizumab), is the first antibody approved to treat moderate-to-severe confirmed allergic asthma. Xolair was developed in collaboration with Genentech, Inc. and Novartis Pharma AG and is approved for marketing in the United States, Canada and major European countries. Tanox is based in Houston and has a manufacturing facility in San Diego. Additional corporate information is available at http://www.tanox.com/ . This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the potential for TNX-650 as a treatment for asthma. These statements are based on Tanox's current beliefs and expectations, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. The ability of Tanox to fully enroll the TNX-650 Phase 1 clinical trial could be delayed due to the availability of subjects to participate in the trial. The therapeutic potential of TNX-650 as an asthma treatment is subject to risks inherent in drug development. Neither published data nor preclinical results offer assurance that TNX-650 will be an effective treatment in humans. Problems or delays may arise during clinical trials or in the course of developing, testing or manufacturing drugs. For more detailed information on the risks and uncertainties associated with Tanox's drug development and other activities, see Tanox's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050207/TNOXLOGO DATASOURCE: Tanox, Inc. CONTACT: Steve Sievert of Tanox, Inc., +1-713-578-4211, or Web site: http://www.tanox.com/

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