EXHIBIT 99.1
Access Logo SOMANTA
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ACCESS/SOMANTA
NEWS
Contact:
Company
Contact: Investor Relations
Stephen
B.
Thompson Donald
C. Weinberger/Alisa Steinberg (media)
Vice
President, Chief Financial
Officer
Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Assoc. LLC
Access
Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (212)
370-4500
(214)
905-5100
Andrew
Hellman, CEOcast, Inc. for Access
Pharmaceuticals
(212)
732-4300
ACCESS
AND SOMANTA ANNOUNCE DATA TO BE PRESENTED
ON
ANGIOLIX AT ASCO ONCOLOGY CONFERENCE
Pre-clinical
Data Suggests Angiolix Can Inhibit Breast Cancer Growth By
75%
DALLAS,
TX & IRVINE, CA,
June 4, 2007, ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC BB: ACCP) and
SOMANTA
PHARMACEUTICALS,
INC. (OTC
BB: SMPM) announced today that a scientific abstract
outlining new preclinical efficacy data for Somanta’s Angiolix has
been selected for publication in the Proceedings of the 43rd American Society
of
Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to be held in Chicago, IL, June 1-5,
2007. The data, in a study conducted using mouse models, shows that Angiolix
has
been able to achieve more than 75% growth inhibition of human breast cancer
growing as xenografts in mouse.
ASCO’s
annual meeting is the world's premier oncology conference providing information
on the latest developments in cancer treatment. As previously
announced Access and Somanta have signed a definitive merger agreement for
Access to acquire Somanta as a step in the creation of a combined company with
a
broad cancer-focused portfolio in which Angiolix will be a major
program.
Angiolix
is a humanized monoclonal antibody that recognizes a migrating adhesion molecule
called Lactadherin. Somanta's recent data suggests that tumor cells express
Lactadherin which is a factor in the growth of tumor vasculature. Several
existing or potential anti-cancer drugs (such as Avastin) seek to block tumor
vascularization by blocking a signaling protein know as vascular endothelial
growth factor (VEGF). The binding of Angiolix to Lactadherin
is thought to cause a VEGF-independent integrin receptor signaling cascade
that
blocks vascular endothelial cell proliferation. Due to its ability to neutralize
Lactadherin-integrin receptor binding, Angiolix may be able to specifically
target breast cancer cells and thereby cause tumor suppression by blocking
the
growth of tumor vasculature.
Dr.
Agamemnon Epenetos, CEO of Somanta and a coauthor of the Angiolix abstract
commented, “We are pleased to be presenting data on Angiolix at this year’s ASCO
conference. The preclinical data shows exciting results in a widely used model
of breast cancer. By targeting tumor vascularization, Angiolix has the potential
to cause tumor regression and prevent recurrence of growth.”
Access
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Page
2
“On
behalf of both companies we are grateful for the opportunity to present data
at
this year’s ASCO Conference,” added Stephen R. Seiler, Access’ President and
CEO. “Recent studies indicate that Angiolix has the potential to
choke off blood flow to breast tumors, which inherently causes tumor
regression."
About
Access
Access
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging biopharmaceutical company that develops
and
commercializes propriety products for the treatment and supportive care of
cancer patients. Access' products include ProLindac™, currently in Phase II
clinical testing of patients with ovarian cancer and MuGard™ for the management
of patients with mucositis. The Company also has other advanced drug delivery
technologies including Cobalamin™-mediated targeted delivery and oral drug
delivery. For additional information on Access Pharmaceuticals, please visit
our
website at http://www.accesspharma.com .
This
press release contains certain statements that are forward-looking within the
meaning of Section 27a of the Securities
Act
of 1933, as amended, and that involve risks and uncertainties, including
statements relating to the efficacy and method of action of Angiolix, the value
of our products in the market, our ability to achieve clinical and commercial
success, our ability to successfully develop marketed products and the ability
to obtain the approvals of Somanta’s stockholders, to obtain or meet the closing
conditions in the merger agreement, including applicable regulatory and tax
requirements, and to otherwise complete the merger in a timely manner. These
statements are subject to numerous risks, including but not limited to the
risks
detailed in Access’ and Somanta’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and
other reports filed by Access and Somanta with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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