OXFORD
BIOMEDICA
Oxford Biomedica Announces Significant Advances in Gene
Transfer to the Brain
Monday,
26 June 2000 Forum for European Neurosciences, Brighton: Oxford
BioMedica announces latest results for high gene transfer
efficiency, excellent safety profile and long term gene expression
into the brain using lentiviral vectors.
Oxford
BioMedica presented the Company's latest results on its proprietary
LentiVector® technology for delivering genes
to the brain and other parts of the nervous system at Forum
for European Neurosciences 2000 held in Brighton.
These
new results build on data published in 1999 in the scientific
journal 'Gene Therapy', and substantially move the commercial
application of LentiVector® forward.
BioMedica's
LentiVector® system is based on a horse virus
called Equine Infectious Anaemia virus (EIAV). The Company
has engineered the virus so that it picks up therapeutic genes
and delivers them to human cells. The EIAV-based vector has
been constructed so that, unlike many other gene therapy vectors,
it does not transfer any viral genes to the patient's cells.
This, coupled with the fact that EIAV, in its natural state,
does not cause disease in man, gives this system one of the
best safety profiles in the gene therapy field.
The technology
is being used initially to develop gene therapy products for
Parkinson's disease but it has the potential to treat other
diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and to treat spinal injury
and nerve degeneration.
The Company
has developed its production technology to a point where the
efficiency of gene transfer is extremely high when the vector
is introduced into the brain. Dr. Nick Mazarakis, BioMedica's
Head of Neurobiology showed results in Brighton where a marker
gene was delivered to more than 105
brain cells using just one microlitre of the LentiVector®
preparation. Commenting on these results Dr. Mazarakis said:
"The
efficiency and reliability of this system is such that we
can contemplate developing a wide range of products for neurological
disease. In addition this technology opens the way to use
gene transfer to probe the basic functions and mechanisms
of the brain in a way that has simply not been possible before."
Dr. Mazarakis'
presentation also showed that BioMedica's technology led to
very long-term gene expression in the brain. A reporter gene
was shown to function for several months with no drop in levels
of gene expression and no adverse side effects. This is important
for treating chronic diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
Furthermore, by engineering the LentiVector's surface molecules
BioMedica has been able to deliver genes to different types
of neurones in the brain.
Commenting
on the presentation, BioMedica's Chief Executive, Professor
Alan Kingsman said,
"We
are pleased to have been invited to present our results at
such a prestigious meeting. Our Parkinson's disease product
is progressing well and we are initiating new product programmes
for other neurological disease and injury. In addition, we
believe that the LentiVector® technology will enable us to
generate short-term revenue by offering target validation
contracts to the pharmaceutical industry in the neurobiology
field. We can also use the technology to identify new genes
that are mechanistically linked to neurodegenerative diseases.
It is a very exciting time to be in this field."
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