EAGAN, MN — April 8, 2010 — Biothera presented data on the ability of its drug candidate Imprime PGG® to improve antitumor activity of monoclonal antibodies at the Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference recently held in San Francisco.

In a poster presentation, Biothera demonstrated the mechanism of action that enables Imprime PGG to engage innate immune cells to fight antibody-targeted cancer cells. Imprime PGG is a yeast-derived β-1,3/1,6 glucan that binds to special receptors (CR3) on human neutrophils and monocytes, priming them to attack antibody targeted cancer cells.

"This unique mechanism of action engages neutrophils, the most abundant immune cell in the body, to recognize and fight cancer,” said Dan Conners, Biothera Pharmaceutical Group president. “Imprime PGG complements the killing mechanisms of monoclonal antibodies, which includes ADCC (Antibody Dependent Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity) and CDC (Complement Dependent Cytotoxicity).”

This poster was entitled, “Improving Antitumor Activity of Monoclonal Antibodies with Imprime PGG®: A Novel Potentiator of Innate Immunity.”

In the in vivo study, 40% of animals treated with a combination of Imprime PGG and an anti-MUC1 monoclonal antibody survived 100 days, compared with 0% for the animals treated with the antibody alone.

"Biothera continues to advance the science of a unique immunotherapy that engages and directs the innate immune system to identify and kill cancer and other foreign challenges,” said Conners.

About Imprime PGG®
Imprime PGG® is a novel immunotherapy that works synergistically with anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies to activate a large population of the body’s immune cells (neutrophils) to kill cancer cells. Imprime PGG is currently in multiple Phase II clinical trials for lung and colorectal cancer. While some drugs trigger a broad innate immune response, Imprime PGG® activates immune cells without inducing systemic pro-inflammatory cytokines that are attributed to adverse reactions. As a platform therapeutic in oncology, Imprime PGG® has the potential to improve patient response rates for existing monoclonal antibody therapies in approved indications, create new indications for these drugs and enhance the efficacy of development-stage monoclonal antibody drugs.

About Biothera, the Immune Health Company
Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health. The company is commercializing its unique technology platform through two business groups. Biothera’s Pharmaceutical Group is conducting multiple Phase II clinical trials for the development of a drug that engages the innate immune system to fight most types of cancer. The company’s Healthcare Group is a leading provider of natural immune health ingredients for the functional food and beverage, dietary supplement, cosmetic and animal nutrition markets.

Contact:
David Walsh
VP Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606 (direct)
dwalsh@biothera.com