LUND, SWEDEN--(MARKET WIRE)--Oct 17, 2008 -- Lund, Sweden, October 17, 2008 - Active Biotech AB's (NASDAQ OMX Nordic: ACTI) collaboration partner MediGene AG (Frankfurt, Prime Standard: MDG) today announce information regarding the candidate drug RhuDex® for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

RhuDex® will be examined in a further series of laboratory tests, under the auspices of the UK MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). These in-vitro studies will examine any potential detrimental interactions between RhuDex® and arteriosclerotic blood vessels. MediGene will work up a development plan for these tests and coordinate it with the MHRA, and expects these studies to be conducted in the first half of 2009.

To read the complete press release "RhuDex® to be Examined in Further Laboratory Tests", please see www.medigene.com.

 
Lund, October 17, 2008
Active Biotech AB (publ)

Tomas Leanderson
President and CEO


For further information, please contact:
Tomas Leanderson
Tel: +46 (0)46 19 20 95
E-mail: tomas.leanderson@activebiotech.com

Göran Forsberg, VP Communication & Business Development
Tel: +46 (0) 46 19 11 54
E-mail: goran.forsberg@activebiotech.com

Notes to editors

About RhuDex®

RhuDex® is a novel, orally available compound for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, originating from Active Biotech's patented CD80 antagonists, out-licensed to MediGene AG. RhuDex® is being developed as a disease-modifying drug for the treatment of rheumatic diseases.

About Active Biotech

Active Biotech AB (NASDAQ OMX NORDIC: ACTI), headquartered in Sweden, is a biotechnology company with R&D focus on autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and cancer. Projects in pivotal phase are laquinimod, an orally administered small molecule with unique immunomodulatory properties for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, as well as ANYARA for use in cancer targeted therapy, primarily renal cancer. Further key projects in clinical development comprise the three orally administered compounds TASQ for prostate cancer, 57-57 for SLE and RhuDex® for RA. Please visit www.activebiotech.com for more information.

Active Biotech is required under the Securities Markets Act to make the information in this press release public. The information was submitted for publication at 08:30 a.m. CET on October 17, 2008.

 
Active Biotech AB (org. no. 556223-9227)
P.O. Box 724, SE-220 07 Lund, Sweden
Tel +46 46-19 20 00
Fax +46 46-19 11 00

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