Genentech, Abbott Team Up On 2 Drugs

Genentech, Abbott Team Up On 2 Drugs
By Reporter Staff

Genentech announced Tuesday that it will team up with the pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories in researching, developing and commercializing two of Abbott's investigational anti-cancer compounds.

"We are very pleased to be entering into this collaboration with Abbott for the development of therapies that may offer new options to treat patients with cancer," said Dr. Hal Barron, senior vice president of development and chief medical officer for Genentech.

The first compound, ABT-263, restores apoptosis, a natural process by which damaged or unwanted cells die and are cleared from the body, in a variety of cancer cells. The second compound, ABT-869, suppresses tumor growth by preventing the development of new blood vessels that supply the tumor with oxygen and nutrients.

Both compounds are in Phase I clinical trials in a number of tumor types. Phase II clinical trials for ABT-869 will begin this year as well.

The companies will work together to promote any resulting products in the United States, while Abbott will promote any resulting products outside the United States.

The companies would not release the financial terms of the collaboration.

Genentech operates a drug manufacturing facility in Vacaville.