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`Positive Interim Results Presented at the VIIIth
`International Myeloma Workshop on Celgene
`Corporation's Lead IMiD(TM) (REVIMID(TM))
`Lead Investigators from Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute and the Arkansas Cancer
`
`Research Center Reported on REVIMID's Activity and Safety Profile
`
`May 08, 2001, 01:00 ET from Celgene Corporation
`(http://www.prnewswire.com/news/celgene+corporation)
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`DR. REDDY’S LABS., INC. EX. 1008 PAGE 1
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` BANFF, Alberta, May 8 /PRNewswire/ ‐‐ Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG)
` today announced that investigators from the Arkansas Cancer Research Center
` and Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute presented preliminary results on REVIMID(TM),
` Celgene's lead Immunomodulatory Drug (IMiD(TM)) for the treatment of multiple
` myeloma. Bart Barlogie, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Arkansas Cancer Research
` Center and Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D. and Paul G. Richardson, M.D. of
` Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School presented interim data
` at the VIIIth International Myeloma Workshop on Phase I/II trials studying
` REVIMID's potential safety and efficacy in multiple myeloma patients. More
` than sixty percent of these late stage patients who had progressive disease
` were responding or had their disease stabilized on the REVIMID therapy. Those
` patients who experienced improvement continued to improve as therapy
` progressed. The investigators also reported that no dose limiting toxicities
` were observed and as a result, a maximum tolerated dose has not yet been
` determined. Ongoing studies will observe the tolerability and therapeutic
` activity of escalating doses of REVIMID.
` "These encouraging results are the first major step in the validation of
` our IMiD class of drugs and reflect the exciting potential of this novel
` compound," said Sol J. Barer, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of
` Celgene Corporation. "We will now significantly accelerate our clinical and
` regulatory programs in multiple myeloma and other oncology indications."
` IMiDs are novel, small‐molecule, orally available analogs of thalidomide
` that are designed to be more potent and potentially have a better safety
` profile than the parent compound. Celgene's IMiDs have significantly greater
` immunological activity in in vitro studies. IMiDs were reported in the
` November 1, 2000 issue of BLOOD to enhance T‐cell proliferation and
` interleukin (IL)‐2 production. In the same report, IMiDs were also shown to be
` potent inhibitors of inflammatory cytokines that include TNF‐alpha and
` IL‐1beta while stimulating the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. IMiDs,
` including Celgene's current lead clinical candidate REVIMID, are covered by
` issued and pending patents in the U.S. and internationally.
` Dr. Bart Barlogie reported on the treatment of twelve refractory multiple
` myeloma patients in a four week, open‐label safety trial. The study included
` eleven patients who have completed four weeks of REVIMID monotherapy treatment
` and one patient who had completed two weeks of therapy. Four patient cohorts,
` of three patients each, received a daily dose of 5 mg, 10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg
` of REVIMID, respectively. Patients were evaluated by reductions in levels of
` paraproteins, which are validated clinical markers associated with
` corresponding reduction in bone marrow plasmacystosis, recovery from
` anemia/thrombocytopenia and uninvolved immunoglobulins.
` To date, in all four dosing levels, patients tolerated the treatment well
` with no grade four toxicities observed. Adverse effects noted were mild to
` moderate rash not necessitating dose modification and reductions in the
` granulocyte count. Neither sedation nor constipation, common side effects of
` thalidomide treatment, were observed. No peripheral neuropathy developed
` during therapy and those who had peripheral neuropathy at study entry did not
` have this symptom exacerbated during the course of the trial.
` Improved response was seen with higher dosages of REVIMID. During the
` first four weeks of therapy, four patients had a greater than 25 percent
` reduction of paraprotein levels including one patient experiencing a
` 75 percent reduction in paraprotein levels. All three patients at the highest
` dose level (50 mg/day) were responding. Three patients had progressive
` disease.
` "The multiple myeloma patients in this trial were predominantly
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`DR. REDDY’S LABS., INC. EX. 1008 PAGE 2
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` thalidomide‐resistant or had poor cytogenetics," said Dr. Barlogie. "Because
` this drug is so well tolerated, we plan to use higher levels to define the
` maximum tolerated dose."
` Results of the open‐label safety trial conducted at Dana‐Farber Cancer
` Institute were also presented by Dr. Kenneth C. Anderson and Dr. Paul G.
` Richardson. The study included patients with rapidly advancing refractory
` multiple myeloma, nine of whom had failed thalidomide and multiple other
` therapies and ten of whom had prior bone marrow transplants. Side effects in
` this study were consistent with those reported in the University of Arkansas
` study, which included rash and a decrease in white blood cell count. No
` sedation, constipation or exacerbation of peripheral neuropathy were observed.
` Treatment with REVIMID up to 25 mg per day was well tolerated, with seven of
` eleven evaluable patients demonstrating a response to the drug. Four patients
` had progressive disease. Of those who were responding to the drug, one
` patient experienced a greater than 50 percent reduction in paraprotein levels
` and five patients had between a 25 and 50 percent reduction in paraprotein
` levels.
` "These data lay a promising foundation for what may be a whole new
` approach to the treatment of multiple myeloma, with possible substantial
` improvements in outcomes and patient quality of life," said Dr. Anderson. "We
` anticipate a highly productive clinical trial program with REVIMID for
` multiple myeloma."
`
` About Multiple Myeloma
` There are approximately 40,000 people in the United States living with
` multiple myeloma and 14,400 new cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed each
` year in the United States, making it the second most common blood cancer.
` Incurable with conventional chemotherapy, multiple myeloma is a malignant
` cancer of the plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cells, found in
` many tissues of the body, but mainly in the bone marrow. As the cancer grows
` it destroys normal bone tissue, causing pain and crowding out normal blood
` cell production. There are nearly 11,200 deaths expected during 2001,
` according to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
` In addition to studies presented the VIIIth International Myeloma
` Workshop, Celgene is currently conducting Phase I/II studies of REVIMID in the
` United Kingdom in solid tumors, including malignant melanoma and pancreatic
` cancer. A congestive heart failure trial with REVIMID will commence this
` quarter in the United States.
` Celgene Corporation will host its first annual Analyst and Investor Day on
` June 7, 2001 in New York City where the progress of the IMiDs and the entire
` Celgene product pipeline will be more fully discussed. An invitation to this
` event can be requested by visiting Celgene's website at
` http://www.celgene.com.
` Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Warren, New Jersey, is an
` independent biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development
` and commercialization of small molecule drugs for cancer and immunological
` diseases.
`
` This release contains certain forward‐looking statements which involve
` known and unknown risks, delays, uncertainties and other factors not under the
` Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements
` of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or
` other expectations implied by these forward‐looking statements. These factors
` include results of current or pending research and development activities,
` actions by the FDA and other regulatory authorities, and those factors
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`DR. REDDY’S LABS., INC. EX. 1008 PAGE 3
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` detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission
` such as 10K, 10Q and 8K reports.
`
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