American Pharmaceutical Partners Release: Positive ABRAXANE(R) Data In Early-Stage (Adjuvant) Breast Cancer and Solid Tumors Reported

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. and SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (APP) (Nasdaq: APPX - News) and American BioScience, Inc. (ABI) today said positive results were observed with dose-dense combination therapy in early-stage breast cancer patients who received AC (Adriamycin® plus Cytoxan®) followed by ABRAXANE® as adjuvant treatment. Additionally, activity was observed in a combination study of ABRAXANE and carboplatin in multiple solid tumor types, including lung and breast cancer. The data from these studies were reported at the 28th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, December 8-11, 2005.

"Many support the notion that a dose-dense regimen, which seeks to deliver the greatest amount of chemotherapy possible in the shortest period of time, is the most effective regimen as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. However, the toxicities associated with solvent-based paclitaxel formulations limited the chemotherapy dose that can be given," said Patrick Soon-Shiong, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of APP and chairman and chief executive officer of ABI. "In this study with ABRAXANE®, a solvent-free albumin-bound paclitaxel, it was possible to provide a patient with more of the active drug than is typically given with Taxol. We believe the data reported are exciting and provide an increasingly sound rationale for further evaluation of ABRAXANE® in combination regimens for breast cancer in the adjuvant setting."

"These data regarding dose dense ABRAXANE® in the adjuvant setting are timely in light of the results presented at this meeting of the 4988 patient North American Breast Cancer Intergroup Adjuvant Trial (E1199) solidifying the role of paclitaxel in the adjuvant setting," stated Nicholas J. Robert, M.D., principal investigator of the pilot study, and Co-Chair, Breast Cancer Committee, US Oncology Research.

Pilot Study of Dose-Dense Doxorubicin plus Cyclophosphamide Followed by ABI-007 (ABRAXANE) in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Nicholas Robert, M.D., US Oncology, Houston, Texas, Dec. 9, 7 a.m., CST Preliminary results from a phase II trial showed that dose-dense therapy with doxorubicin (Adriamycin®) (A) plus cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®) © followed by dose-dense ABRAXANE was well tolerated in patients with early stage breast cancer. The open label pilot study was designed to evaluate the toxicity of AC therapy followed by ABRAXANE 260 mg/m2 every two weeks for four cycles each as adjuvant therapy in patients with early stage breast cancer. This study was conducted in preparation for a large randomized Phase III clinical trial.

Preliminary Results of a Phase I Trial of Carboplatin in Combination with ABI-007 (ABRAXANE) Administered Weekly or Every 3-Weeks in Patients with Solid Tumors

Thomas Stinchcombe, M.D., Division of Hematology/Oncology University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Dec. 8, 5 p.m., CST

Preliminary data suggest the combination of ABRAXANE and carboplatin was active in multiple tumor types, including breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NCSLC), melanoma and other solid tumors. The Phase I dose escalation study was designed to determine the recommended Phase II dose of ABRAXANE administered either weekly or every three weeks in combination with carboplatin. 30 patients (n=17 ABRAXANE administered every three weeks, n=13 ABRAXANE administered weekly) were enrolled in the study (NSCLC - 8, melanoma - 8, SCLC - 3, CUP - 2, breast - 2, pancreatic - 1, bladder - 1, esophageal - 1, gastric - 1, sarcoma - 1, prostate - 1, colon - 1). Of the 17 patients in the every three weeks regimen, two had a complete response (CR) (one with NSCLC at 220 mg/m2 and one with CUP at 300 mg/m2), five had a partial response (PR) (one with SCLC and one with NSCLC at 260 mg/m2, one with CUP at 300 mg/m2, one with SCLC and one with esophageal at 340 mg/m2) and five had stable disease. Of the 13 patients in the weekly regimen, five had a PR (two with melanoma and one with bladder cancer at 100 mg/m2, and one with pancreatic and one with melanoma at 125mg/m2) and five had stable disease.

About American BioScience, Inc.

American BioScience, Inc. (ABI) is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and delivery of next-generation therapeutics including biologically active molecules already existing within the human biological system, for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. ABI owns a majority interest in American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc.

About American Pharmaceutical Partners

American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. is a specialty drug company that develops, manufactures and markets injectable pharmaceutical products, focusing on the oncology, anti-infective and critical care markets. Abraxis Oncology, the proprietary division of APP, is devoted entirely to developing and promoting innovative, next-generation cancer therapies such as ABRAXANE, recently launched for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. For more information, visit APP's website at www.appdrugs.com and www.abraxisoncology.com.

About ABRAXANE®

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) in January 2005. ABRAXANE currently is indicated for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within six months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. For the full prescribing information for ABRAXANE please visit www.abraxane.com.

In the randomized metastatic breast cancer study, the most important adverse events included neutropenia (all cases 80%; severe 9%), anemia (all 33%; severe 1%), infections (24%), sensory neuropathy (any symptoms 71%; severe 10%), nausea (any 30%; severe 3%), vomiting (any 18%; severe 4%), diarrhea (any 26%; severe <1%), myalgia/arthralgia (any 44%; severe 8%), and mucositis (any 7%; severe <1%). Other adverse reactions included asthenia (any 47%; severe 8%), ocular/visual disturbances (any 13%; severe 1%), fluid retention (any 10%; severe 0%), alopecia (90%), hepatic dysfunction (elevations in bilirubin 7%, alkaline phosphatase 36%, AST [SGOT] 39%), and renal dysfunction (any 11%; severe 1%). Thrombocytopenia (any 2%; severe <1%), hypersensitivity reactions (any 4%; severe 0%), cardiovascular reactions (severe 3%), and injection site reactions (1%) were uncommon.

Because these forward-looking statements, whether expressed or implied, involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, the uncertainties regarding the costs and time involved in bringing our Illinois manufacturing facility to a fully operational status, the adverse impact of production delays on the sales and marketing of our products, the costs associated with the ongoing launch of ABRAXANE, the market adoption and demand of ABRAXANE, marketing approvals and launches of other products, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the availability and pricing of ingredients used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, the ability to successfully manufacture products in a time-sensitive and cost effective manner, the acceptance and demand of new pharmaceutical products, the impact of patents and other proprietary rights held by competitors and other third parties. Additional relevant information concerning risks can be found in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and other documents filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cytoxan and Taxol are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

Adriamycin is a registered trademark of Pharmacia.

Contacts: American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. Nicole Williams Executive Vice President & CFO (847) 969-2700

Rob Whetstone/Robert Jaffe PondelWilkinson Inc. (310) 279-5963

Source: American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc.

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