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RNS Number:8475C
Cambridge Antibody Tech Group PLC
30 April 2001


For Further Information         
Contact:                        
                                
Cambridge Antibody Technology   Square Mile Communications (Europe)
Tel: +44 (0) 1763 263 233       Tel: +44 (0) 20  7601 1000
David Chiswell, CEO             Kevin Smith
John Aston, Finance Director    Graham Herring
Rowena Gardner, Head of
Corporate Communications
                                BMC Communications/The Trout
                                Group (USA)
                                Tel: 001 212 477 9007
                                Brad Miles, ext 17 (media)
                                Brandon Lewis, ext.15
                                (investors)


        CAT ANNOUNCES FURTHER INFORMATION ON CAT-152
  Clinical trial results, research results and orphan drug

Melbourn, UK. Cambridge Antibody Technology (LSE:CAT)
announces that new data on CAT-152, CAT's human anti TGFBeta2
monoclonal antibody in development to prevent scarring after
eye surgery, are being presented at the Association for
Research in Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2001 conference
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Four presentations will be
given by leading eye researchers at the conference.

Two year follow up results from a phase I/IIa clinical trial
in 24 patients undergoing glaucoma surgery show that the
group of patients treated with CAT-152 at the time of
surgery achieved significantly lower intraocular pressure
(IOP) than those treated with placebo.  Mean values two
years after surgery were 13.6mmHg (CAT-152) compared to
17.7mmHg (placebo) (p= 0.004).  The pressure difference was
apparent despite clear trends for less use of post operative
injections and less use of topical medication in the CAT-152
group.

Dr David Glover, CAT's Medical Director, commented,
"Differences between CAT-152 and placebo treated patients,
previously reported 3 -12 months after surgery, have
persisted during further follow-up. These results suggest
that modulation of the initial wound healing response by CAT-
152 can have long lasting clinically beneficial effects. It
is well known that lower intraocular pressures after surgery
for glaucoma are associated with  a much reduced risk of 
progressive visual field loss. The effects of using CAT-152 
at the time of surgery appear to lead to a more successful
outcome of the operation; whilst encouraging these findings 
are based on low patient numbers. CAT is planning to confirm
these findings in further clinical trials of CAT-152 to be 
initiated later this year."

Further data were presented suggesting a possible role of
CAT-152 to prevent 'secondary' cataract - a 'clouding' of
the posterior capsule of the lens that occurs in up to 40%
of patients following cataract surgery. In a laboratory
model system of secondary cataract, CAT-152 was able to
inhibit wrinkling of the capsule and had marked effects upon
the behaviour of lens epithelial cell as evidenced by
molecular markers, consistent with a potential therapeutic
effect.

Dr David Glover commented, "These results are encouraging us
to explore whether clinical trials to prevent secondary
cataract should be conducted with CAT-152, however our
priority focus remains the prevention of scarring following
glaucoma filtration surgery."

In a separate development, following a formal discussion,
CAT has received a positive opinion from EMEA's (European
Medicines Evaluation Agency) Orphan Drug Committee for CAT-
152. Written confirmation from the EC Commission is expected
shortly.

                              

Notes to Editors:

Glaucoma and Glaucoma Surgery
  Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye conditions  in
  which  the  optic nerve is damaged at the point  where  it
  leaves  the eye. The main cause of this damage  is  raised
  pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure, IOP).
  Glaucoma affects 2% of people aged over 40 years,  and
  the percentage of people affected rises with age such that
  5%  of over 65's are affected, rising to around 8% of over
  75's.
  Glaucoma is a major source of blindness. Treatment  is
  generally  aimed at lowering the pressure in  the  eye  to
  prevent  long term damage to eyesight.  Eye drops are  the
  mainstay of treatment but more than 10% of patients require
  surgery to control pressure.  Scarring is the main cause of
  failure  of  surgery for glaucoma.  There are no  approved
  treatments to prevent this scarring. CAT has estimated that
  up to 250,000 patients undergoing operations in the US and
  Western Europe each year could benefit from treatment with
  CAT-152.
  Trabeculectomy lowers IOP by improving the drainage of
  fluid in the eye.
  Patients are classified as failures of surgery if there
  is  a  need  to  resume topical medication and/or  further
  surgery is required.


CAT-152
  CAT-152 is a fully human anti-TGFBeta2 monoclonal antibody
  developed  by CAT to specifically neutralise the  cytokine
  TGFBeta2, overactivity of which is believed to cause scarring in
  and  around  the  eye.  CAT-152 is being  developed  as  a
  treatment to prevent scarring in the eye following glaucoma
  surgery.


Cambridge Antibody Technology (LSE: CAT)
  CAT is a UK biotechnology company using its proprietary
  technologies in human monoclonal antibodies for drug
  discovery and drug development.  Based in Melbourn, 10 miles
  south of Cambridge, England, CAT currently employs around
  210 people.
  CAT's ordinary shares are listed on the London Stock
  Exchange.  CAT raised #41m in its IPO in March 1997 and #93m
  (#89.4m net of expenses) in a secondary offering in March
  2000.
  CAT has an advanced platform technology for rapidly
  isolating human monoclonal antibodies, primarily using phage
  display technology. CAT's library currently incorporates
  around 100 billion distinct antibodies. This library forms
  the basis for the company's strategy to develop a portfolio
  of clinical development programmes and for discovering new
  drug leads using functional genomics.  Four human
  therapeutic antibodies developed by CAT are at various
  stages of clinical trials.
  CAT works in partnership with other companies at all
  stages of the drug discovery and development process. CAT's
  collaborations, past and present, include: AstraZeneca, Elan
  Corporation, Eli Lilly, Genentech,  Genetics Institute,
  Genzyme,  Human Genome Sciences,   Immunex,  Knoll AG,
  Oxford GlycoSciences,  Pharmacia, Pfizer, Wyeth-Ayerst and
  Zyomyx.

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