News from the 96th American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting, held in Anaheim, Calif.:

• Celera Genomics Group, of Rockville, Md., is presenting preclinical data on its novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, CRA-024781, as a cancer therapeutic. A poster will describe the dose-dependent inhibition of tubulin and histone acetylation and significant antitumor activity of the compound. The studies follow the first report of the crystal structure of the enzyme HDAC8 published by the company in Structure in July.

• Cell Genesys Inc., of South San Francisco, Calif., said the combination of a GVAX cancer vaccine with anti-angiogenesis agents that block vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) demonstrates synergistic antitumor activity in preclinical tumor models. In the studies, tumor-bearing mice treated with a GVAX cancer vaccine combined with VEGF blockade had a statistically significant - 48 percent - improvement in the median duration of survival compared to controls.

• Chemokine Therapeutics Corp., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said investigators at the National Cancer Institute found a significant reduction in the spread of cancer using Chemokine's drug, CTCE-9908, in a preclinical study of osteosarcoma. The findings demonstrated a two-thirds reduction in the number of visible metastatic lung nodules with CTCE-9908, a member of a class of compounds called CXCR4 antagonists that are designed to inhibit the growth and spread of certain cancers.

• Corgentech Inc., of South San Francisco, said its hypoxia-inducible factor decoy (HIF Decoy) demonstrated inhibition of tumor growth in vivo in renal, colon and pancreatic tumor xenograft models as a monotherapy and an additive effect in multiple models in combination with 5-FU or Avastin (Genentech Inc.). Investigators also found reduced VEGF mRNA levels in tumors and increased apoptosis with HIF Decoy.

• CuraGen Corp., of New Haven, Conn., said preclinical data on CR011, an antibody-drug conjugate expected to enter clinical trials in the first half of 2006, demonstrated tumor regression in animal xenograft models of melanoma. Treatment with CR011, which selectively binds to GPNMB, a protein highly expressed on the surface of melanoma cells, caused significant improvements in survival, including complete and durable tumor regression without notable toxicity or weight loss. CR011 uses technology from Bothell, Wash.-based Seattle Genetics Inc. to attach cell-killing payloads to a fully human monoclonal antibody, which was generated by Fremont, Calif.-based Abgenix Inc.'s Xenomouse technology and is being developed by CuraGen.

• Dendreon Corp., of Seattle, said preclinical data show that modulation of the Trp-p8 tumor target with small molecules might represent a new approach to cancer therapy. The company presented the discovery of selective Trp-p8 small-molecule agonists that stimulate the flow of cations through the transmembrane cation channel and induce cell death in the Trp-p8 fashion. Data presented show that those agonists significantly inhibited the growth of Trp-p8-postive tumors in mice by as much as 77 percent over controls.

• GPC Biotech AG, of Martinsried, Germany, said its lead drug candidate, satraplatin, has shown a lack of cross-resistance with other chemotherapy drugs, according to in vitro studies, and has demonstrated a synergistic response in prostate cancer cells treated sequentially with Taxotere (Sanofi-Aventis Group) and satraplatin. The company reported its plans to begin clinical trials, including a Phase I study with Taxotere (docetaxel) in the next few months.

• Hana Biosciences Inc., of South San Francisco, reported data of its oral radiation sensitizer, IPdR, evaluated both alone and combined with radiation treatment in a human U87 glioblastoma xenograft model, revealed dose-responsive radiation sensitization. The company said IPdR alone inhibited glioblastoma in a dose-dependent manner. Clinical trials are expected to begin this year.

• Human Genome Sciences Inc., of Rockville, Md., said results of a Phase I trial demonstrated the safety and tolerability of HGS-ETRI (agonistic human monoclonal antibody to TRAIL receptor 1) in patients with advanced solid tumors, and supports further evaluation in Phase II trials, both as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy.

• Hybridon Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., presented data from two new preclinical antitumor and immunopharmacological studies of its lead Phase II candidate IMOxine, an agonist of Toll-like receptor 9. The data supported the potential of IMOxine to treat cancer as a monotherapy, in combination therapy, or as part of a peptide/protein-based cancer vaccine. The product is in a monotherapy Phase II trial in renal-cell carcinoma, and Hybridon expects to begin a new trial this year of IMOxine with chemotherapy in an additional cancer indication.

• ImmunoGen Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., presented data on its huC242-DM4 Tumor-Activated Prodrug compound. In preclinical models, it demonstrated antitumor activity directed against CanAg-expressing cancer cells - colon, pancreatic, gastric, lung - at doses that were well tolerated. The company has filed an investigational new drug application for huC242-DM4 and expects to begin patient dosing in mid-2005. ImmunoGen said the compound has shown considerably more activity than cantuzumab mertansine against colon cancer cells but has a markedly longer half-life and comparable tolerability.

• Introgen Therapeutics Inc., of Austin, Texas, reported data from multiple studies of its tumor suppressor INGN 241, which show that the drug inhibits that formation of new blood vessels needed to support tumor growth. The company expects to present several additional studies at AACR that illustrate the activity of INGN 241, adenoviral-mda-7, as a monotherapy and in combination treatment. Introgen said the drug is in a Phase II trial in patients with malignant melanoma.

• Kosan Biosciences Inc., of Hayward, Calif., presented preclinical in vivo and in vitro data describing the properties of KOS-1584 (9,10-didehydroepothilone D), a second-generation epothilone, which include cytotoxicity against a variety of cancer cell lines, as well as drug-resistant cancer cell lines. The product is being developed by Kosan and Basel, Switzerland-based F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., and is in a Phase I dose-escalating trial in patients with advanced malignancies. Kosan reported that the first-generation candidate, KOS-862, continues to be evaluated in Phase II monotherapy trials in breast and prostate cancers and in Phase Ib combination trials with Gemzar (Eli Lilly and Co.), Paraplatin (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) and Herceptin (Genentech Inc.).

• Myriad Genetics Inc., of Salt Lake City, presented data on its cancer drug candidate, MPC-6827, and the antitumor activity of MPC-2130. MPC-2130 was shown to inhibit the growth of blood and solid tumors, such as lymphomas and ovarian and prostate cancer in mouse cancer models. In vitro studies showed it was not a substrate for MDR pumps and had significant brain penetration. Findings with MPC-6827 showed that unlike other cancer drugs, it was equally potent in the induction of apoptosis in cancer cell lines, regardless of drug-resistance status. It also has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and achieve high concentration in the brain, Myriad said.

• Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tustin, Calif., said 3G4, the mouse version of Tarvacin, its lead anti-phospholipid therapy, showed that the drug is active against a number of solid tumors, including lung, prostate, pancreatic, fibrosarcoma and breast cancers given as a single agent or in combination with either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. In a preclinical lung cancer model, the combination of 3G4 plus radiation therapy inhibited tumor growth by more than 95 percent, while 3G4 alone decreased tumor growth by 62 percent. In preclinical models for pancreatic cancer, 3G4 plus gemcitabine decreased primary tumor growth by 60 percent, and essentially stopped metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes.

• Point Therapeutics Inc., of Boston, said preclinical data of its lead product candidate, talabostat (PT-100), demonstrate tumor-growth suppression of several different human tumor types in mice, with talabostat acting as a single agent. Results also showed greater and more sustained tumor suppression when combined with docetaxel in a mouse model of human non-small-cell lung cancer

• Raven Biotechnologies Inc., of South San Francisco, said data on RAV12, its clinical-stage monoclonal antibody for GI and other adenocarcinoma-related cancers, demonstrated that it induces oncotic cell death in vitro and exhibits antitumor activity in human tumor xenografts. RAV12 is in an ongoing Phase I trial.

• Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Irvine, Calif., said its EOquin (apaziquone) enhanced the effects of radiation therapy in controlling tumor growth in animal models. EOquin is a prodrug designed to work as a cytotoxic alkylating agent in the presence of an enzyme prevalent in hypoxic cancer calls. In clinical studies to date, the product has shown efficacy in treating patients with refractory superficial bladder cancer.

• Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., of South San Francisco, presented data on its cytotoxic agent, SNS-595, that show the drug selectively targets cells undergoing DNA synthesis to induce the rapid onset of apoptosis and G2 cell-cycle arrest. Data also showed that SNS-595 is unaffected by the loss of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene, instead signaling through p73. The drug is in Phase I studies, and Sunesis expects to initiate multiple Phase II studies in various tumor settings during the second half of the year.

• Tapestry Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Boulder, Colo., presented findings of preclinical studies evaluating its third-generation taxane, TPI 287, in human tumor cell lines. Results showed that TPI 287 demonstrated tumor growth inhibition activity in four drug-resistant tumors. In tumor cell lines with multidrug resistance, the product had better efficacy in shrinking tumor volume when compared to paclitaxel in breast cancer, docetaxel in prostate and non-small-cell lung cancers, and similar to irinotecan in colon cancer.

• Vion Pharmaceuticals Inc., of New Haven, Conn., said preclinical data of KS119 and its water-soluble analogue, KS119W, both hypoxia-selective compounds from the sulfonylhydrazine class, demonstrated that both selectively kill hypoxic cells. Results also showed that both are active over a broad range of sub-physiological oxygen concentrations that are relevant to hypoxic regions of tumors, with little or no cell kill at normal levels of oxygen. Also both appeared to inhibit the growth of several murine solid-tumor models without significant toxicities or weight loss. Vion anticipates filing an investigational new drug application by the end of the year.

• Viventia Biotech Inc., of Toronto, presented preclinical findings concerning its lead candidate, Proxinium, a recombinant immunotoxin, showing specificity and safety in treating squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck as well as increased reactivity with head and neck cancer of advancing stage and grade. Three posters were presented on the development and characterization of the company's second-generation Stealth Armed Antibody product VB6-845, a recombinant EpCAM-specific Fab antibody genetically linked with de-immunized bouganin (a plant-derived cytotoxic protein). Viventia said the product's binding specificity, selectivity and cytotoxicity make it more potent than many current chemotherapeutics.

• Xanthus Life Sciences Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said results from a preclinical study of the gene-expression profile of its Phase I cancer drug candidate, Symadex (formerly C-1311), demonstrated an effect on the major classes of genes commonly targeted by oncology therapeutics that are cell-cycle inhibitors. Xanthus said the expression profile also suggested that Symadex might be active in treating autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis.