Micromet studies show activation of T cells when cancer cells are present
Shares of Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI) are shooting up in pre-market trading after the biopharmaceutical company announced that the company’s antibody therapeutic, BiTE, showed in two new studies that it activates T cells only when cancer cells are present.
The studies also show that initial cytokine release by activated T cells is not required for elimination of cancer cells, and that anti-inflammatory steroid hormones can efficiently quench the initial cytokine release by BiTE-activated T cells without reducing their capacity to kill cancer cells.
The small cap’s publication of the two new studies were published in the Journal of Immunotherapy and in Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy.
Micromet develops proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
Shares of Micromet (MITI) soared 29.73%, or $0.55, to $2.40 in pre-market trading. Shares of Micromet have been trading in the range of $1.22 to $5.30 for the past 52 weeks.
