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ABOUT CYTOGENtestreg1x98Date: 19 Mar 2008 Commentstestreg1x98 Date: 27 Jun 2001 CommentsCYTOGEN AND THE MARKET Last month, CYTO and Progenics said that their prostate cancer vaccine generated a "potent dual-immune response against PSMA (prostrate specific membrane antigen)," yielding both antibodies and killer T cells, which are used by the immune system to get rid of harmful cells. The findings were presented by Progenics at the 37th Annual Meeting of The American Society of Clinical Oncology in San Francisco. Cytogen shares gained 83 cents, or 23.2 percent, while Progenics' stock gained 99 cents, or 7 percent. Cytogen then announced that it has executed an agreement with its largest current shareholder, the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), to sell $8.19 million of common stock. A total of 1,820,000 registered shares to SWIB at $4.50 per share will be sold. State of Wisconsin Investment Board continues to support Cytogen’s new strategy and recognize the potential of its technology. AxCell's proprietary proteomics technology will be advanced and the company's prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) technology. Under the agreement with SWIB, the Company has agreed to discontinue use of its equity line. VERY IMPORTANT NEWS This news was followed by other good news stating that a new study conducted by doctors at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine found that it is possible to identify recurrent prostate cancer with greater precision by using the radiolabeled imaging agent ProstaScint(R) (Capromab Pendetide) in combination with other diagnostic imaging techniques. The results of this and two related studies were announced at the 48th Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting in Toronto. The study found that ProstaScint imaging, when combined or fused with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT (computed tomography) scans in a digital overlay, offers a more specific evaluation of prostate cancer than was possible using any of these imaging agents alone. The advantages are that: -Reducing the rate of false positives by nearly 50%. -Fusion imaging helped to show that 17 patients thought to have had a spread of prostate cancer to lymph nodes may have only had a local recurrence of the disease. -Improved staging could lead to more appropriate treatments and improved quality of life," said John Page, executive director of Us Too! International, the world's largest independent education and support network for men with prostate cancer and their families (www.ustoo.com).
Following radical prostatectomy, a procedure in which the entire prostate gland and some surrounding tissue is surgically removed, the "gold standard" of histological confirmation from tissue samples established that fused ProstaScint imaging better identifies cancerous regions within the prostate than PET imaging. "Last year we provided the first 3-D fusion images of ProstaScint uptake within the prostate. These further studies confirm our ability to specifically identify areas of cancer in the prostate gland, which may assist in targeting treatment directly to these sites," said Dr. Sodee. What is prostaScint? ProstaScint(R), developed and marketed by Cytogen Corporation (Nasdaq: CYTO), is a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody that specifically targets PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigen), a highly expressed marker found on prostate cancer cells. During a ProstaScint imaging procedure, the radiolabeled monoclonal antibody is administered intravenously to the patient, travels through the bloodstream and binds to prostate cancer cells. A gamma camera detects the radioactive isotope that has been attached to the antibody, identifying the specific sites of cancer. Cytogen has initiatives underway at numerous partners in excellence (PIE) sites to provide coregistration (image fusion) capabilities to a broader audience. The stock reacted positively to the news. Prohost Comments: Cytogen’s early discoveries are appreciated now. It takes time for novel products and procedures to reveal their advantages, but the results are always worth the time spent in providing the proof. Most important is the fact that excellent diagnostic tools end up becoming cost effective as the patients are treated correctly early and most complications that lead to more treatments, procedures, hospitalizations and agony are avoided. They keep saying: Prostate cancer has an excellent outcome if treated early. One can add to this statement that prostate cancer can be cured if diagnosed well and treated correctly early in the course of the disease.
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