Cell Therapeutics, Inc.: European Medicines Agency Approves Pediatric Investigational Plan for Pixuvri

SEATTLE, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Cell Therapeutics, Inc. ("CTI") (Nasdaq and MTA: CTIC) announced today that the European Medicines Agency ("EMA") approved CTI's Pixuvri (pixantrone dimaleate) Pediatric Investigation Plan ("PIP") for the treatment of lymphoid malignancies and solid tumors in children between the ages of six months and 18 years. Previously, the Pediatric Committee (the "PDCO") of the EMA adopted an opinion agreeing to the PIP and a deferral of the initiation of the clinical studies until after the drug receives EMA approval. CTI has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application ("MAA") for Pixuvri approval in Europe as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with multiply relapsed or refractory, aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ("NHL"). CTI expects that the EMA will make a determination regarding the acceptance of the Pixuvri MAA submission for review this month.

About Pixantrone

Pixantrone is a novel aza-anthracenedione that has distinct structural and physio-chemical properties that make its anti-tumor activity unique in this class of agents. Similar to anthracyclines, pixantrone inhibits Topo-isomerase II but unlike anthracyclines--rather than intercalation with DNA--pixantrone alkylates DNA--forming stable DNA adducts, with particular specificity for CpG rich, hyper-methylated sites. We believe that these structural differences resulted in significantly enhanced anti-lymphoma activity compared to doxorubicin in preclinical models. In addition, we believe the structural motifs on anthracycline-like agents that are responsible for the generation of oxygen free radicals and the formation of toxic drug-metal complexes have also been modified in pixantrone to prevent the binding of iron and perpetuation of superoxide production--both of which are the putative mechanism for anthracycline induced acute cardiotoxicity. These novel pharmacologic differences may allow re-introduction of anthracycline like potency in the treatment of relapsed/refractory aggressive lymphoma without unacceptable rates of cardiotoxicity.

About Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable. For additional information, please visit http://www.celltherapeutics.com/.

Sign up for email alerts and get RSS feeds at CTI's Web site, http://www.CellTherapeutics.com/investors_alert

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially and/or adversely affect actual future results and the trading price of CTI's securities. Specifically, the risks and uncertainties that could affect the development of pixantrone include risks associated with preclinical and clinical developments in the biopharmaceutical industry in general, and with pixantrone in particular, including, without limitation, the potential failure of pixantrone to prove safe and effective and/or less toxic and effective for the treatment of relapsed or refractory, aggressive NHL and/or other tumors as determined by the EMEA, the potential failure of pixantrone to prove effective for the treatment of lymphoid malignancies and solid tumors in children between the ages of six months and 18 years, that CTI's MAA may not be accepted for review by the EMA in November or at all, that the current plans for the pediatric program may change, that the pediatric program may not determine the comparative safety and effectiveness of pixantrone in children and CTI's ability to continue to raise capital as needed to fund its operations, competitive factors, technological developments, costs of developing, producing and selling pixantrone, and the risk factors listed or described from time to time in CTI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, CTI's most recent filings on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Except as may be required by law, CTI does not intend to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Cell Therapeutics, Inc.