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Raven Biotechnologies advances RAV18 through agreement with CMC ICOS Biologics

17 Mar 2008 - Raven biotechnologies, Inc., a privately held company focused on the discovery and development of monoclonal antibody therapeutics (MAbs) for cancer and CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc. a contract manufacturing organization, announced they have entered into an agreement under which CMC ICOS will create a production cell line for Raven's next IND candidate, RAV18.
 
RAV18 is a humanized antibody targeting the ADAM9 protein on cells. ADAM9 is expressed on many solid tumors and is thought to contribute to disease progression and metastasis. A number of carcinoma cell lines have been shown to amplify the gene for ADAM9 and to overexpress the protein. Overexpression of ADAM9 protein has been reported in pancreatic, prostate, gastric, breast, and lung cancers. Raven has confirmed that ADAM9 is present on its cancer stem cell lines, and has identified new biology associated with antibodies targeting ADAM 9 that will be presented at upcoming scientific meetings. Raven has also shown that anti-ADAM9 antibodies suppress tumor growth in lung, prostate and skin cancer animal models and suppress metastasis. Raven is targeting 2009 for an IND filing of RAV18.