Celsion Announces ThermoDox® Abstract Accepted at the American Society for Radiation Oncology 2010 Annual Meeting

COLUMBIA, Md., June 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Celsion Corporation (Nasdaq: CLSN) announced today that an abstract on the Phase I/II DIGNITY trial of ThermoDox® in Recurrent Chest Wall (RCW) Breast Cancer has been accepted for a poster session at the 52nd American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.  The abstract will provide updated clinical results, as well as the rationale and design of the DIGNITY study, which is evaluating ThermoDox in combination with microwave hyperthermia in women with RCW Breast Cancer.  The ASTRO Annual Meeting will be held from October 31 to November 4, 2010 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

The abstract, titled "Initial Results of a Phase I/II Study Evaluating the Maximum Tolerated Dose, Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Efficacy of Hyperthermia and Lyso-Thermosensitive Liposomal (LTSL) Doxorubicin in Patients with Breast Cancer Recurrence at the Chest Wall (RCW)," will be presented by Brigid O'Connor, M.D., Ph.D., lead clinical investigator from the Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI.  Dr. O'Connor will be available to address questions from conference attendees.

"We are delighted to present updated clinical data for the DIGNITY study at this prominent conference as the radiation oncology community will be a key partner in treating the RCW breast cancer population," said Michael H. Tardugno, Celsion's President and Chief Executive Officer. "These patients have limited treatment options. Addressing this unmet medical need is a very high priority for our company, as well as our investigators."  

Principal investigator Dr. O'Connor commented, "Although treatment using heat sensitive liposomal doxorubicin with microwave hyperthermia (heat) is investigational at this time, we are encouraged that this approach may provide a promising outcome for breast cancer patients with painful loco-regional recurrence on the chest wall.  Rapid evaluation of ThermoDox is warranted as we search for ways to provide patients with better treatment options for this devastating disease."  

Dr. Nicholas Borys, Chief Medical Officer at Celsion Corporation commented, "We hope that by providing these updated clinical results, perhaps more leaders in the radiation oncology community will consider the DIGNITY Study for their patient's with recurrent chest wall cancer.  By demonstrating this proof of concept in the breast cancer population, we believe that ThermoDox and hyperthermia may be able to address additional superficial cancers such as melanoma and sarcomas."

About the DIGNITY Clinical Trial

The DIGNITY clinical trial is a Phase I/II open label, dose escalating trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ThermoDox® with hyperthermia for the treatment of Recurrent Chest Wall (RCW) Breast Cancer, an aggressive form of cancer with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The primary endpoint in the DIGNITY trial is durable complete local response at the tumor site. Once the safe dose is determined Celsion intends to enroll up to 108 patients to establish efficacy. The results from the DIGNITY trial are expected to build on the promising data from the Phase I dose escalation study conducted at Duke University Medical Center.

About ThermoDox®

ThermoDox® is a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, an approved and frequently used oncology drug for the treatment of a wide range of cancers including breast cancer. ThermoDox® is administered intravenously and in combination with hyperthermia has the potential to provide local tumor control and improve quality of life. Localized mild hyperthermia (39.5-42 degrees Celsius) releases the entrapped doxorubicin from the liposome. This delivery technology enables high concentrations of doxorubicin to be deposited preferentially in a targeted tumor.

ThermoDox® has also demonstrated evidence of efficacy in a Phase I study for primary liver cancer. Celsion has been granted FDA Orphan Drug designation for ThermoDox® and is conducting a pivotal 600 patient global Phase III study in primary liver cancer under a FDA Special Protocol Assessment.

Additional information on ThermoDox® clinical studies for RCW breast cancer and primary liver cancer can be found at: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

ThermoDox® is a registered trademark of Celsion Corporation.

About Celsion

Celsion is dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative oncology drugs including tumor-targeting treatments using focused heat energy in combination with heat-activated drug delivery systems. Celsion has licensed ThermoDox(R) to Yakult-Honsha for the Japanese market and has a partnership agreement with Phillips Medical to jointly develop its heat activated liposomal technology in combination with high intensity focused ultrasound to treat difficult cancers. Celsion has research, license, or commercialization agreements with leading institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, Duke University Medical Center, University of Hong Kong, Cleveland Clinic, and the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System.

For more information on Celsion, visit our website: http://www.celsion.com.

Celsion wishes to inform readers that forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, unforeseen changes in the course of research and development activities and in clinical trials by others; possible acquisitions of other technologies, assets or businesses; possible actions by customers, suppliers, competitors, regulatory authorities; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Celsion Corporation