LEUVEN, Belgium and LUND, Sweden, May 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

- Trial to Study Patients with Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer

ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR) and BioInvent International AB (OMXS: BINV) announce today that their partner Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) will begin an imaging study with the novel anti-cancer antibody TB-403 (RG7334) in patients with metastatic, treatment-refractory, colorectal and ovarian cancers. ThromboGenics and co-development partner BioInvent will receive a milestone payment of EUR10 million from Roche under the terms of the strategic alliance agreement signed in June 2008. ThromboGenics, which discovered TB-403, receives 60% and BioInvent 40% of all revenue from the alliance with Roche for this anti-cancer antibody.

This trial is a multi-centre, open-label (monotherapy), dose-finding study with intravenous TB-403. The primary objective of the study will be to establish the TB-403 concentration-pharmacodynamic (PD) effect relationship using DCE-MRI (dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging) and to identify the minimally PD effective dose. The trial will recruit up to 50 patients across three European sites.

With the start of this study, Roche will assume responsibility for all future development of TB-403, continuing the work started by ThromboGenics and BioInvent. A Joint Steering Committee made up of representatives from Roche, ThromboGenics and BioInvent will continue to oversee research and development activities. In addition, Roche will continue to provide funding to ThromboGenics and BioInvent for re

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