Amgen today announced that results from several preclinical studies investigating potential new cancer agents will be presented at the 2009 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Denver between April 18-22, 2009.

Data will be presented on investigational compounds AMG 386, a peptibody that binds to and inhibits angiopoietins 1 and 2; AMG 479, a fully human monoclonal antibody antagonist of the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) and AMG 102, a fully human monoclonal antibody antagonist of HGF, the ligand for the c-Met receptor.

"The data being presented at this meeting further our biologic understanding of these novel compounds and pathways, and inform our thinking regarding opportunities to develop predictive or prognostic biomarkers," said

C. Glenn Begley , M.D., vice president, Global Hematology and Oncology Research at Amgen. "This is an exciting year for our oncology therapeutics pipeline, as results from a number of clinical programs become available."

    Selected Abstracts of Interest
    --  Assessment of angiogenesis inhibitors in the retinopathy of
        prematurity model in mice
        Overview: Examined the inhibition of the VEGF/VEGFR pathway with AMG
        273 and the inhibition of the angiopoietin/Tie2 pathway with AMG 386
        Lead author: Estrada J.
        Abstract No. 140 (Sunday, April 19, 2009, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm)

    --  Involvement of the CSF-1/CSF-1R interaction in the control of
        angiogenesis
        Overview: Two different neutralizing rat anti murine CSF-1R monoclonal
        antibodies (mAb), M279 and AFS98 were evaluated for their effect on
        mouse corneal angiogenesis and corneal macrophage recruitment in vivo
        Lead author: Liu H.
        Abstract No. 1106 (Sunday, April 19, 2009, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

    --  Complementary and opposing effects of angiopoietin-1 and
        angiopoietin-2 inhibitors on tumor blood vessels and normalization
        Overview: Aimed to elucidate the effects of Angiopoietin (Ang) 1 and
        Ang2 on the tumor vasculature of a human colon carcinoma model
        (Colo205) using peptide-Fc fusion proteins (peptibodies) specifically
        targeting Ang1 (mL4-3) or Ang2 (L1-7(N)) alone or in combination
        Lead author: Falcon B.
        Abstract No. 1996 (Monday, April 20, 2009, 9:40 am - 9:55 am)

    --  AMG 479, a novel IGF-1R antibody, inhibits endometrial cancer cell
        proliferation through disruption of the P13K/Akt and MAPK pathways
        Overview: Evaluated the effect of a novel antibody to the IGF-1R (AMG
        479) on cell proliferation and expression of key targets involved in
        IGF-1R signaling in endometrial cancer cells
        Lead author: Mendivil A.
        Abstract No. 2804 (Monday, April 20, 2009, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

    --  AMG 479, a fully human anti-IGF-1R monoclonal antibody, inhibits
        rapamycin-induced Akt activation in sarcoma cell lines
        Overview: Evaluated whether AMG 479 could inhibit this feedback-loop
        mechanism and thus increase the efficacy of rapamycin and its analogs
        (mTOR inhibitors).
        Lead author: Beltran P.
        Abstract No. 2805 (Monday, April 20, 2009, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

    --  Dual targeting of the receptor tyrosine kinase EGFRvIII and HGF:c-Met
        signaling in models of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
        Overview: Examined the effect of combining a fully human neutralizing
        antibody targeting the HGF:c-Met axis (AMG 102), with a fully human
        antibody binding to the EGFR and EGFRvIII (panitumumab) to overcome
        resistance to HGF:c-Met based therapeutic strategies in GBM
        Lead author: Johns T.
        Abstract No. 2044 (Monday, April 20, 2009, 1:10 pm - 1:25 pm)

    --  Antagonistic antibodies to c-fms block c-fms-mediated activities,
        reduce tumor-associated macrophages and decrease tumor growth in
        preclinical models
        Overview: Antagonistic antibodies to c-fms were evaluated for their
        effects on monocytic cell function in vitro and tumor-associated
        macrophages (TAMs) and tumor growth in vivo
        Lead author: Bonham L.
        Abstract No. 2077 (Monday, April 20, 2009, 3:40 pm - 3:55 pm)

    --  Erythropoietin Receptor (EpoR) Was Expressed at Low to Undetectable
        Levels in Tumor Cell Lines: Expression Was Not Regulated by Hypoxia
        and No Epo-Induced Downstream Signaling Was Detectable
        Overview: EpoR, mRNA and protein expression were surveyed in 67
        tumor-derived cell lines from ovary, breast, head and neck, lung,
        brain, prostate, cervix, liver, colon and blood
        Lead author: Swift S.
        Abstract No. 4283 (Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

Amgen Launches Educational Interactive Angiogenesis Website

Amgen would like to invite healthcare professionals to visit http://angiogenesis.amgen.com, where the science of angiogenesis comes to life. Angiogenesis, a fundamental mechanism in normal development and cancer, involves multiple cellular regulators that include the angiopoietins, the VEGF family and other regulators. Amgen has developed an interactive website that will provide users with a cinematic experience through which to view the process of tumor vessel growth.