Aptium Oncology Launches Multi-Institutional GI Consortium To Advance Research and Treatment Protocols

Los Angeles, CA, September 10, 2008 - Aptium Oncology, Inc. today announced the launch of Aptium Oncology GI Cancer Consortium (AGICC), consisting of eight member institutions. Each AGICC institution has demonstrated expertise in the multidisciplinary and translational approach to gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies The goal of the Consortium is to speed the process of finding and efficiently testing active new compounds for patients with gastrointestinal cancers, enabling potentially useful drugs to reach the market more quickly. The Consortium will launch with a kick-off meeting September 28 and 29, 2008 at Christiana Care Healthcare Systems in Newark, Delaware.

"A number of us at Aptium Oncology have long had strong interest in advancing the state of care for GI cancers," says John S. Macdonald, M.D., Chief Medical Officer. "With colon, stomach and other types of GI cancers affecting millions, there is considerable opportunity for introducing new drugs in GI cancer including targeted agents that are in development but still need to be tested." Dr. Macdonald adds that Aptium "assembled a think tank of the 'best and brightest' physicians from around the country" all with experience in the biology of GI cancers to be involved in the Consortium. "And with involvement from eight cancer centers across the country, including world leaders in GI cancer, we can get drugs evaluated and, if active and likely to be helpful to patients, to market more quickly - and with less bureaucracy."

The new, targeted GI drugs cited by Dr. Macdonald are currently being investigated and are the result of scientists' increased understanding of the molecular events that take place within a cell to make it cancerous. The ability to target those actual molecular events represents a significant step in cancer care, and is vastly preferable to cytotoxic drugs that kill large numbers of cancer cells, but also kill normal tissue, which can typically lead to severe side effects during treatment.

AGICC is an innovative model that brings investigators together to test drugs as they come along, in contrast to pharmaceutical company-driven studies that typically are created to test a specific drug. "There are about 160,000 new colon cancer patients a year," says Dr. Macdonald. "In addition, only about fifty percent of all colon cancer patients survive five years. If we look at the patients whose cancer has metastasized, the five-year survival rate is only 10-15 percent. These patients with a very a poor prognosis are the group we want to target, in order to improve their survival rates and quality of life. And if we're successful, the Consortium can serve as an important model for speeding time to market for drugs targeting other cancers. The Consortium underscores Aptium Oncology's commitment to innovative research on behalf of all patients with cancer."

Accordingly, a key goal of the Consortium is to design a new process for clinical trials that is faster, more efficient and less bureaucratic, allowing institutions to more rapidly take new drugs into test protocols, ultimately identifying those that are most effective.

"There currently are a number of compounds for treating GI cancers of the colon, rectum, liver, stomach, pancreas and esophagus," says Lawrence Leichman, M.D., F.A.C.P., Director of the Consortium. Dr. Leichman, National Program Director of GI Malignancies, Aptium Oncology, and medical oncologist at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, adds, "However, while our drug choices are more varied and effective, none of the compounds on the market for GI cancers are as effective over the long term as we would like. We have already made great advances in understanding the molecular biology of many GI cancers. The Consortium will help us take advantage of that knowledge and advance the research needed to get new drugs on the radar screen and get these new treatments on the market - and to our patients - sooner."

AGICC, funded by Aptium Oncology, a leader in developing hospital-based outpatient cancer centers, builds upon the complementary strengths of a select group of cancer centers chosen for their demonstrated excellence and expertise in the clinical and translational aspects of GI cancers, as well as their track records as clinical research investigators. Each of the eight institutions selected for the Consortium is funded for two years via a support grant to be used in expanding and supplementing their ongoing clinical/translational gastrointestinal cancer programs. Aptium Oncology's funding of this effort is a clear indication of the company's clear and longstanding commitment to provide newer and better cancer treatments to the patients that need them.

The ambitious undertaking includes five university cancer center programs and three large private groups, each possessing excellent GI cancer specialists. They include Heinz-Josef Lenz, M.D., Scientific Director, USC/Norris Cancer Genetics Unit, Associate Director, USC/Norris Gastrointestinal Oncology Program, University of Southern California; Jordan D. Berlin, M.D., Clinical Director GI Oncology, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University; Wells A. Messersmith, M.D., Associate Professor, University of Colorado Cancer Center; Bert H. O'Neil, M.D., Associate Professor, Clinical Research, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center; Howard Hochster, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center; Steven J. Cohen, M.D., Associate Medical Director, Fox Chase Cancer Center Partners; Philip J. Gold, M.D., Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, Washington; and Bruce M. Boman, M.D., Ph.D., Director for Cancer Genetics and Stem Cell Biology for Christiana Care's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center in Newark, Delaware.

In addition to the AGICC investigators, the Advisory Committee for AGICC includes four Aptium corporate team members: Dr. Leichman, Director; Dr. Macdonald; Dr. Gail Leichman., Research Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center at Desert Regional Medical Center; and Marti McKinley, BSN, MBA, Vice President of Clinical Research Programs.

The GI Consortium plans to enroll its first patients in January of 2009. Please contact Dr. Leichman at leichman@aptiumoncology.com or Marti McKinley at mmckinley@aptiumoncology.com for information about the Consortium.

About Aptium Oncology
Aptium Oncology has 25 years of experience managing outpatient oncology services at leading medical institutions throughout the United States. Aptium Oncology is a pioneer in designing, building and managing comprehensive cancer centers, with a steadfast vision to transform cancer care environments by bringing every necessary service to one central place. The intent of this single place is to help patients achieve longer, better lives. Aptium Oncology's corporate headquarters are located in Los Angeles, Calif. For more information, visit www.aptiumoncology.com.