Abgenix and SangStat Sign Antibody Therapy Agreement; Global Development and Commercialization for ABX-CBL

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Abgenix and SangStat Sign Antibody Therapy Agreement; Global Development and

Commercialization for ABX-CBL

FREMONT, Calif., Aug 8, 2000 (BW HealthWire) -- Abgenix, Inc.

(Nasdaq:ABGX),

and SangStat, The Transplant Company,®, (Nasdaq:SANG) reported today that they

have entered into a global co-development, supply and license agreement for

ABX-CBL, an antibody developed by Abgenix. SangStat will have an exclusive

worldwide license for the marketing and sale of ABX-CBL and, subject to the

terms and conditions of the agreement, the right to commercialize other

anti-CD147 antibodies. Abgenix will be responsible for manufacturing ABX-CBL.

" Abgenix is pleased to be collaborating with SangStat, a leading supplier of

products and services in the transplant field, " said R. Greer, chairman

and CEO of Abgenix. " We believe SangStat has the development and

commercialization experience to maximize the potential of ABX-CBL, which is in a

Phase II/III clinical trial for steroid resistant GVHD. "

" This is a very exciting development for SangStat and is a great fit with our

expertise in specialized marketing and our efforts to expand into other

therapeutic areas, " said Jean-Jacques Bienaime, President and CEO of SangStat.

" We look forward to working with Abgenix on the development of ABX-CBL and

potentially a next generation anti-CD147 product.

" Under the agreement, SangStat will make an initial license fee payment and

additional milestone payments to Abgenix. Development costs will be shared

equally, as would any potential profits from sales of collaboration products.

SangStat and Abgenix will share responsibility for product development,

including the ongoing trial.

ABX-CBL is an anti-CD147 monoclonal antibody for the treatment of steroid

resistant graft versus host disease (GVHD) and is currently in a multicenter,

randomized, and controlled Phase II/III study. The study is designed to

demonstrate statistically significant efficacy of a single dose level of ABX CBL

in comparison to a control group of patients. In an earlier Phase II trial

completed in the fall of 1999, 52% of patients receiving 0.1 - 0.3 mg/kg ABX-CBL

survived at least 100 days following initiation of therapy, compared to 22% of

patients receiving the presumed no effect dose of 0.01 mg/kg. Approximately 25%

of patients that undergo an allogeneic bone marrow transplant develop steroid

resistant GVHD for which there is currently no standard approved therapy

available.

SangStat shall have the right to commercialize any anti-CD147 antibody developed

by Abgenix, subject to certain terms and conditions of the agreement, including

ABX-RB2, the next generation fully human antibody to CD 147, generated with

Abgenix's proprietary XenoMouse technology. ABX-RB2 is currently in

pre-clinical development with potential target indications beyond GVHD,

including solid organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid

arthritis.