Fox Chase and Immunicon Sign Colon Cancer Research Pact

PHILADELPHIA (January 26, 2001) -- Immunicon Corporation, Huntingdon Valley, PA and Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA today announced a Research Support Agreement (RSA) in the field of colon cancer.

The focus of the agreement is research related to the potential use of Immunicon diagnostic technology in the monitoring of colon cancer and discovery research into new targets of potential clinical value for screening, diagnosing and managing the disease.

The RSA is for a period of two years and provides monetary support and other consideration for research into applications and further development of Immunicon's rare-cell detection and analysis technologies for the monitoring of patients undergoing treatment for cancer of the colon.

Additionally, research will be conducted into the use of Immunicon technology for screening, diagnosis, staging and stratifying treatments for colorectal cancers. A major goal of the research will be to identify unique biological targets or "markers" of clinical interest on the surface of and within tumor cells circulating in the blood of patients with colon cancer. The RSA grants Immunicon certain options to license these targets for commercialization.

Commenting on the agreement, Edward L. Erickson, chairman of the board, president and CEO of Immunicon said, "This agreement supports research that we see as central to our long-range strategy of developing diagnostic and screening products offering significant clinical utility in colorectal and other forms of cancer. We believe the research being undertaken will make a significant, positive contribution to the fight against cancer."