Active Biotech's application to start Phase II pancreas cancer trial approved by UK authorities

Active Biotech started in December 2001, a renal cancer Phase II study with the Principal Investigator Professor Robert Hawkins at Christie Hospital in Manchester, UK. Professor Hawkins will be the Principal Investigator also for the current pancreas cancer study.

Treatment of patients is expected to be initiated during first quarter 2002. Totally 20 patients will be included in the study, that will run for 12 months.

TTS is a unique form of cancer treatment in which an antibody combined with a toxin stimulates the immune system to specifically and locally attack the tumour cells. The rationale for studying TTS treatment of pancreas and renal cancer is that the antibody component of the product binds these types of tumour cells with very high efficiency.

Cancer of the pancreas is a rapidly progressing, lethal disease with extremely poor prognosis. The five-year relative survival rate is less than 5 percent (National Cancer Institute SEER Cancer Statistics Review 1973-1998). Current treatments do not generally increase life expectancy for pancreas cancer patients, and often palliative (pain-relieving) treatment is the only available alternative.

Lund, 6 February 2002

Active Biotech AB (publ)

Sven Andreasson
President & CEO

Active Biotech is a biotechnology company focusing on research in and development of pharmaceuticals. Active Biotech has a strong R&D portfolio and pipeline products with focus primarily on autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and cancer. Key projects include orally administered small molecules with unique immunomodulatory properties that can be used to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (SAIK), as well as a novel concept for use in cancer immunotherapy (TTS).

Active Biotech AB
Box 724, SE-220 07 Lund, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)46-19 20 00
Fax: +46 (0)46-19 20 50
E-mail info@activebiotech.com