OTTAWA, April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MDS Nordion, the world's leading provider of medical isotopes and radiopharmaceutical services, has signed a three-year contract with Bradmer Pharmaceuticals Inc. for the development and clinical trial supply of Neuradiab, a monoclonal antibody conjugated to iodine-131 used to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and deadly form of brain cancer. "MDS Nordion is thrilled to team up with Bradmer Pharmaceuticals in their fight against this terrible disease," said Steve West, President of MDS Nordion. "We are pleased that our world-class cGMP facilities, wealth of expertise and dedication to bringing products to market quickly will contribute to Neuradiab's development and its potential success." According to the World Health Organization, GBM is usually fatal and up to 10,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in North America alone. Currently in clinical trials, to date, Neuradiab has been proven to be safe and effective in delivering tumor-killing radiation specifically to residual brain tumor cells following surgery, with minimal impact on the surrounding normal brain tissue. "In six completed clinical trials involving over 160 glioblastoma multiforme cancer patients, Neuradiab has demonstrated a significant survival benefit over historical controls. This new agreement with MDS Nordion is an important step in our preparation for a planned multi-center clinical trial for Neuradiab," said Mark C. Rogers, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Bradmer Pharmaceuticals Inc. "We chose MDS Nordion based on their experience and standards of quality in developing and producing radiotherapeutics." About MDS Nordion MDS Nordion (http://www.mds.nordion.com/) is a world leader in radioisotopes, radiation and related technologies. MDS Nordion is part of MDS Inc. (TSX:MDS; NYSE:MDZ). MDS Inc. has more than 8,800 highly skilled people in 28 countries. We provide a diverse range of superior products and services to increase our customers' speed, precision and productivity in the drug development and disease diagnosis processes. We are a global, values-driven health and life sciences company, recognized for our reliability and collaborative relationships as we help create better outcomes in the treatment of disease. Find out more at http://www.mdsintl.com/ or by calling 1-888-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day. About Bradmer Pharmaceuticals Inc. (http://www.bradmerpharma.com/) Bradmer Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of new and innovative cancer therapies. Bradmer's lead clinical candidate, Neuradiab, was developed at Duke University Medical Center as a proprietary therapy for a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer. During the course of development at Duke University, over US$60 million in research grants and related support has produced a series of 7 Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. Approximately 200 brain cancer patients, including over 160 with GBM, have been treated with the Neuradiab therapy regimen, and survival benefits have significantly exceeded historical controls in each and every completed trial. Bradmer is currently in the process of organizing a multi-center clinical trial of the licensed treatment. Neuradiab was recently granted Orphan Drug Status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. DATASOURCE: MDS Nordion CONTACT: Shelley Maclean, External Communications, MDS Nordion, Tel: (613) 592-3400 ext. 2414, E-mail:

Copyright