why her2neu tumors are able to metastasize more readily than her2- and scheme2 defeat

[Lani]

The company making the copper-binding compound has entered into an agreement with another company making the uPA inhibitor--so here is the news:







XOMA to Humanize Attenuon’s Novel Anti-Cancer Antibody

Applying Human EngineeringTM Technology to Advance Antibody Targeting
Urokinase Plasminogen Activator System

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Berkeley and San Diego, CA – October 3, 2006 -- XOMA Ltd. (Nasdaq: XOMA) and
Attenuon, LLC today announced an agreement for XOMA to utilize its Human
EngineeringTM (HETM) technology to humanize a monoclonal antibody targeting the
urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) system for the treatment of cancer. The uPA
system plays a central role in multiple pathways and processes related to tumor growth,
metastasis, and angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors).
Attenuon will pay XOMA an up-front fee, development milestones, and royalties.
Attenuon will retain all development and commercialization rights to the antibody.
Additional financial terms were not disclosed.

[Lani]

“We believe that the uPA system is a promising target for inhibiting tumor growth,
metastasis, and angiogenesis,” said Josh Distler, Attenuon’s chief operating officer. “We
are very excited about this antibody based on the strong preclinical data we have obtained.
Humanizing this antibody using XOMA’s HETM technology is an important milestone in
our effort to develop this potential new treatment option for cancer patients.”

“We are pleased to work with Attenuon to improve the medical and commercial potential
of their antibody candidate through our HETM technology.” said Jack Castello, XOMA’s
chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer. “We view this agreement
as another step forward in establishing our HETM technology as the basis of a new and
potentially significant line of business for XOMA.”

Human EngineeringTM Technology
HETM technology is a clinically tested humanization technology intended for modifying
non-human antibodies to make them suitable for medical use in humans. XOMA’s
patented HETM technology is distinct from other humanization techniques and is
independent of CDR grafting. HETM technology is based on the conserved structure-
function relationships among antibodies and defines which amino acid residues in a non-
human antibody variable region are candidates for substitution. XOMA’s deliverables
under HETM agreements generally include four HETM antibodies provided in three months,
that have preserved binding, structure, and function and are approximately 95% human.

[Lani]

About Attenuon
Attenuon is a San Diego-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a
new generation of cancer therapeutics. Attenuon’s compounds – two of which are
currently in Phase II clinical trials – are intended to target a broad range of tumors and
the blood vessels that feed their growth without affecting healthy cells. These drug
candidates have the potential to be effective against many types of cancer, produce few
side effects, and be suitable for long-term use. For more information, please visit the
company's website at www.attenuon.com.

About XOMA
XOMA is a leader in the discovery, development and manufacture of therapeutic
antibodies, with a therapeutic focus that includes cancer and immune diseases. XOMA
has royalty interests in RAPTIVA® (efalizumab), a monoclonal antibody product
marketed worldwide (by Genentech, Inc. and Serono, SA) to treat moderate-to-severe
plaque psoriasis, and LUCENTISTM (ranibizumab injection), a monoclonal antibody
product marketed worldwide (by Genentech and Novartis AG) to treat neovascular (wet)
age-related macular degeneration.

The company has built a premier antibody discovery and development platform that
includes access to seven of the leading commercially available antibody phage display
libraries and XOMA’s proprietary Human EngineeringTM and bacterial cell expression
(BCE) technologies. More than 45 companies have signed BCE licenses. XOMA’s
development collaborators include Lexicon Genetics, Inc., Novartis, and Schering-Plough
Corporation. With a fully integrated product development infrastructure, XOMA’s
product development capabilities extend from preclinical sciences to product launch. For
more information, please visit the company's website at www.xoma.com.