Approval Significantly Expands Production Capacity for ImClone’s
Proprietary Pipeline Antibodies
ImClone Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: IMCL), a global leader in the
development and commercialization of novel antibodies to treat cancer,
today announced that it has received approval from the Food and Drug
Administration for its state-of-the-art “BB50” manufacturing facility to
manufacture multiple products. This approval significantly expands
ImClone’s total available production volume capacity for its proprietary
pipeline of novel antibodies, which are now entering late-stage clinical
development.
“This multi-product FDA approval of BB50 significantly enhances
ImClone’s operational flexibility as we scale up production of our
robust pipeline of proprietary antibodies for the growing number of
Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials that will be commencing in the next year,”
said Richard P. Crowley, Senior Vice President, Biopharmaceutical
Operations of ImClone. “ImClone has one of the largest biologic
production capacities in the world and this approval is an important
milestone in our efforts to maximize the global potential of both
ERBITUX® and our portfolio of novel fully-human antibodies, which
together represents one of the deepest pipelines in oncology today.”
ImClone’s 250,000-square-foot multi-suite BB50 facility received FDA
approval to manufacture ERBITUX (cetuximab) in August 2007. Together
with the Company’s “BB36” manufacturing facility, ImClone has a total
production volume capacity of up to 140,000 liters at its Branchburg,
N.J. campus. This is among the largest antibody manufacturing capacities
in the biotechnology industry and is a key component of ImClone’s fully
integrated operations supporting the development and commercialization
of the Company’s antibodies.
ImClone’s Proprietary Pipeline
Antibodies
ImClone has established one of the deepest pipelines in oncology
therapeutics. In addition to the blockbuster cancer drug ERBITUX,
ImClone has a robust pipeline of proprietary monoclonal antibodies in
clinical development. The Company is developing these pipeline
antibodies with the hope of optimizing efficacy and safety by targeting
specific tumor receptors, by developing fully human antibodies, and by
developing IgG1 antibodies which may have the potential to increase
efficacy through an antibody cell-mediated cytotoxicity.