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ARIUS announces second quarter fiscal 2007 financial results
ARIUS announces second quarter fiscal 2007 financial results.

About this update from Affinity Metals Corp
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTORONTO, July 11 /CNW/ - ARIUS Research Inc., (TSX: ARI), a biotechnology\ncompany discovering and developing the next wave of antibody therapeutics,\ntoday announced its financial and operational results for the second quarter,\nended May 31, 2007.\n\n\n"During our second quarter, we initiated manufacturing for our lead drug\ncandidate in anticipation of commencing human clinical trials in 2008. We also\ncontinued to produce positive pre-clinical data for a number of our antibody\ncandidates, added a new member to our Board and, more recently, strengthened\nour management team," said Dr. David Young, President and CEO. "We remain\nfocused on advancing ARIUS-originated antibodies towards clinical development\nwhile pursuing partnering opportunities for several candidates in our\npipeline."\n\n\nProgram Updates:\n\n\nCD44 Cancer Stem Cell Program\n\n\nARIUS has transferred its lead drug candidate, a functional antibody\nidentified from its CD44 cancer stem cell program, to its contract\nmanufacturer, Avid Bioservices Inc. Avid has now successfully scaled-up the\nmanufacturing process and will be producing a supply of drug for toxicology\nstudies. ARIUS expects to perform preclinical toxicology studies in the second\nhalf of calendar 2007 in preparation for filing a Phase I IND application in\n2008.\n\n\nTrop-2 Signal Transduction Program\n\n\nAn antibody targeting Trop-2 was selected for preclinical development\nbased on efficacy in a human pancreatic cancer model. The Company through\nAntitope Limited has successfully humanized the molecule which retains its\nbinding characteristics. The Company expects to initiate process development\nand manufacturing under cGMP in 2007. The Company also expects to perform\npre-clinical toxicology studies in 2008 in preparation for filing a Phase I\nIND application in 2008.\n\n\nCD59 Complement Inhibitor Program\n\n\nThe Company selected an antibody to the CD59 target for preclinical\ndevelopment based on potent tumor growth inhibition in several cancer types.\nThe Company through Antitope Limited has successfully humanized the molecule\nwhich retains its binding characteristics. The Company expects to initiate\nprocess development and manufacturing under cGMP in 2007. The Company expects\nto perform preclinical toxicology studies in 2008 in preparation for filing a...