NORTHWEST BIO Will Present at the Second Annual "Cancer Immunotherapy: A Long Awaited Reality Conference" at the New York Academy of Medicine, October 6, 2011

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwest Biotherapeutics (OTC.BB: NWBO) (NORTHWEST BIO) today announced that it will be presenting at the second annual Cancer Immunotherapy: A Long-Awaited Reality Conference on Thursday, October 6, at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City.  The single-day conference unites key opinion leaders, industry executives, and other stakeholders to engage in discussions, exchange information, and highlight opportunities in the field of cancer immunotherapy that is now coming of age.

Dr. Anthony Maida, COO, and Mr. Leslie J. Goldman, Sr. Vice President for Business Development, of NORTHWEST BIO will be making the presentation. They will be presenting the science of DCVax®, the promising clinical data generated to date, and the progress of the Company's pipeline of multiple individualized cancer vaccine products.  They will indicate how NORTHWEST BIO's developing immunotherapy products hold the promise of treating cancers more effectively than the current standard of care, without toxicities of the kind associated with chemotherapies, and on a cost-effective basis, in both the US and Europe.

Ms. Linda Powers, CEO of NORTHWEST BIO said, "This topic and conference are particularly timely in view of yesterday's Nobel Prize in Medicine for certain key discoveries about the immune system – especially about the critical role of dendritic cells.  At NORTHWEST BIO, we have developed medical treatments for cancer using these same dendritic cells, whose discovery by Dr. Ralph Steinman now has earned the Nobel Prize.  Our medical treatments are one of the first personalized medicines to apply this potential: they make use of the patient's own dendritic cells, which are activated and "educated" to mobilize the immune system to attack that patient's particular cancer." 

"We have been developing these dendritic cell treatments for over a decade and have now reached late stage clinical trials," Ms. Powers continued.  "In the trials so far, patients who received the DCVax® dendritic cell treatments lived for years longer than patients receiving standard of care (not just weeks or months longer), and without toxicity.  Building upon the original discovery of dendritic cells by Dr. Steinman, we are working to make dendritic cell treatments widely available for patients, and believe that such treatments have the potential to become a new standard of care for most cancers."

The Company's broad platform technology for dendritic cell-based vaccines is currently being tested in an ongoing 240-patient Phase II clinical trial for newly diagnosed Glioblastoma multiforme ("GBM") -- the most aggressive and lethal form of brain cancer.  The Company also previously received clearance from the FDA for a 612-patient Phase III trial in prostate cancer, and clearance from the FDA for Phase I trials in multiple other cancers.  The Company has also conducted a Phase I/II trial with DCVax® for recurrent metastatic ovarian cancer.

Dr. Maida joined the Company in June, 2011, as Chief Operating Officer ("COO"), bringing more than 20 years' experience in building oncology companies, with expertise in the business, financial, clinical and regulatory aspects of oncology products, as well as the underlying science.  Over these two decades, Dr. Maida has held positions as Chairman, CEO, COO, CSO, CFO and VP Business Development, and has raised nearly $200 million in financings for oncology companies.  Among these experiences, he served as CEO of CancerVax, an early leader in cancer vaccines.  In that role, he raised the company's first $30 million of funding, and was responsible for conducting multi-hundred patient, multi-center clinical trials with the company's cancer vaccines.  Prior to joining NORTHWEST BIO, Dr. Maida was serving as Global Head of Oncology for a leading contract research organization that manages clinical trials in the US and internationally.

Mr. Leslie J. Goldman joined the Company as Senior Vice President, Business Development, in June, 2011. Prior to joining NORTHWEST BIO Mr. Goldman was a partner at the law firm of Skadden, Arps for over 30 years, specializing in a wide array of advanced technologies and their commercialization.  He helped build one of the preeminent global practices in this area.  He was responsible for advising on financing, regulatory strategies, and public outreach relating to his clients' development of numerous cutting edge technologies, bringing to bear a diverse range of deal-making skills.  He has taken a special early retirement from Skadden, Arps to enable him to undertake an executive role at NWBT.  In addition, for eight years, Mr. Goldman has served as Chairman of the Board of a group of TV Stations in four mid-size cities across the country.

Parties interested in watching a live webcast of the Presentation at 11:30 am, or reviewing a recording of the Presentation for up to 30 days afterwards, can go online at www.regonline.com/mdbpartners to view the live webcast. Once on this link, there will be a tab to access the live presentation, as well as the replay for up to 30 days.

Disclaimer

Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements concerning future treatment of patients with GBM using DCVax^® and future clinical trials, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Words such as "expects," "believes," "intends," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement.  Specifically, there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, such as the Company's ability to raise additional capital, risks related to the Company's ability to enroll patients in its clinical trials and complete the trials on a timely basis, the uncertainty of the clinical trials process, uncertainties about the timely performance of third parties, and whether the Company's products will demonstrate safety and efficacy.  Additional information on these and other factors, including Risk Factors, which could affect the Company's results, is included in its Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings.  Finally, there may be other factors not mentioned above or included in the Company's SEC filings that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement.  You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.  The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE Northwest Biotherapeutics