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2005/OB/38
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OXFORD BIOMEDICA’S
INNUREX® NERVE REGENERATION PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTED
DURING BRIEFING FOR £30 MILLION LINK PROGRAMME
Oxford
BioMedica (LSE: OXB), the leading gene therapy company, announced
today that its Innurex programme for treating spinal cord
injury was highlighted in a briefing today at the Science
Media Centre in London for the Applied Genomics LINK programme.
This LINK programme is supported by the UK government and
provided £30 million to fund projects that accelerate
the application of genomics in medicine and healthcare.
Today’s
briefing and evening reception are a showcase for the outcomes
of the successful Applied Genomics LINK Programme that enabled
over 20 small and medium-sized enterprises to work with academic
research groups to exploit genomics for healthcare applications.
This programme has been jointly sponsored by the Biotechnology
and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Medical
Research Council (MRC) and the Department for Trade and Industry
(DTI). The reception is designed to highlight the strength
of the UK science base and innovation, including Oxford BioMedica’s
Innurex programme, to parliamentarians and leading figures
from industry, academia and other stakeholders including patient
groups. The reception is intended to provide an opportunity
for researchers, civil societies, parliamentarians, policy
makers and the business sector to discuss the role of research
in advancing UK healthcare.
Oxford
BioMedica’s Innurex programme is designed to induce
nerve repair in spinal cord injuries. The product delivers
the RARß2 gene using the Company’s proprietary
LentiVector® gene delivery technology. The
gene causes nerve cells to ‘sprout’ new nerve
fibres that have the potential to remake connections that
may restore both sensation and movement to limbs. The genomics
studies that are funded by the LINK programme aim to understand
key biological pathways that lead to nerve regeneration following
treatment with Innurex.
Innurex is being
developed in collaboration with scientists at King’s
College London. In September 2002, the collaboration received
funding from the DTI through the Applied Genomics LINK programme.
Further support was received in April 2004 from the Christopher
Reeve Paralysis Foundation who awarded a grant to the Company’s
collaborators at King’s College London to pursue the
study of Innurex in spinal cord injury.
Commenting on the
profile given to Innurex at today’s events, Oxford BioMedica’s
CEO, Professor Alan Kingsman, said: “We are very pleased
that Innurex is being highlighted by the DTI and other sponsors
of the LINK programme as a successful application of grant
money. We have made excellent progress with Innurex in our
preclinical models of spinal cord and related injuries and
we are now planning its clinical development for these disorders
where there are currently no effective treatment options.”
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Notes
| 1. |
Oxford
BioMedica |
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Oxford
BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical
company specialising in the development
of novel gene-based therapeutics with a
focus on the areas of oncology and neurotherapy.
The Company was established in 1995 as a
spin out from Oxford University, and is
listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Oxford
BioMedica has core expertise in gene delivery,
as well as in-house clinical, regulatory
and manufacturing know-how. In oncology,
the pipeline includes an immunotherapy and
a gene therapy in multiple Phase II trials,
and a preclinical targeted antibody therapy
in collaboration with Wyeth. In neurotherapy,
the Company’s lead product is a gene
therapy for Parkinson’s disease, which
is expected to enter clinical trials in
2006, and four further preclinical candidates.
The Company is underpinned by over 80 patent
families, which represent one of the broadest
patent estates in the field.
The
Company has a staff of approximately 70
split between its main facilities in Oxford
and its wholly owned subsidiary, BioMedica
Inc, in San Diego, California. Oxford BioMedica
has corporate collaborations with Wyeth,
Intervet, Sigma-Aldrich, Viragen, MolMed
and Kiadis; and has licensed technology
to a number of companies including Merck
& Co, Biogen Idec and Pfizer.
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| 2. |
Applied
Genomics LINK Programme |
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The
overall objective of the Applied Genomics
LINK programme was to encourage the use
of genome sequence and genetic data to identify
new functionalities in biological systems
that are capable of exploitation in the
healthcare industries. Research into project
areas that will increase the understanding
of the information encoded in the human
genome and those of other organisms and
how this relates to the actions of proteins
in the context of whole cells, tissues,
organisms and diseases has been included
in the programme. The programme was closed
to new applications in June 2004, after
four years.
The
Applied Genomics LINK Programme involved
researchers from 17 universities and research
institutions collaborating with 23 industrial
partners, 21 of which were SMEs who had
not been involved in such a programme before.
The programme has attracted over £14M
of industrial funding in addition to the
matched funding from the sponsors and has
lead to significant industrial developments
including novel targets, tools and equipment
for drug discovery, as well as valuable
intellectual property.
More
information about the Applied Genomics LINK
Programme is available at: www.appgen.org.uk
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| 3. |
BBSRC |
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The
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research
Council (BBSRC) is the UK funding agency for
research in the life sciences. Sponsored by
Government, BBSRC annually invests around
£330 million in a wide range of research
that makes a significant contribution to the
quality of life for UK citizens and supports
a number of important industrial stakeholders
including the agriculture, food, chemical,
healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Further
information is available at www.bbsrc.ac.uk |
| 4. |
DTI |
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The
DTI drives its ambition of 'prosperity for
all' by working to create the best environment
for business success in the UK. The DTI helps
people and companies become more productive
by promoting enterprise, innovation and creativity;
champions UK business at home and abroad;
invests heavily in world-class science and
technology; protects the rights of working
people and consumers; and stands up for fair
and open markets in the UK, Europe and the
world. Further information is available at
www.dti.gov.uk |
| 5. |
MRC |
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The
Medical Research Council (MRC) is a national
organisation funded by the UK tax-payer. Its
business is medical research aimed at improving
human health; everyone stands to benefit from
the outputs. The research it supports and
the scientists it trains meet the needs of
the health services, the pharmaceutical and
other health-related industries and the academic
world. MRC has funded work which has led to
some of the most significant discoveries and
achievements in medicine in the UK. About
half of the MRC’s expenditure of £450
million is invested in its 40 Institutes,
Units and Centres. The remaining half goes
in the form of grant support and training
awards to individuals and teams in universities
and medical schools. Further information is
available at www.mrc.ac.uk |
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For
further information please contact:
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Oxford BioMedica plc
Professor Alan
Kingsman, Chief Executive
Peter
Nolan, SVP Commercial Development |
Tel: +44 (0)1865 783 000 |
BBSRC
Media Officer Matt Goode |
Tel:
+44 (0) 1793 413299
Mob: +44 (0) 7766 240104 |
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City/Financial
Enquiries
Lisa
Baderoon/Mark
Court/Mary-Jane
Johnson
Buchanan Communications |
Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000 |
Scientific/Trade
Press Enquiries
Katja
Stout/Hannah
Carter
College Hill - Life Sciences |
Tel:
+44 (0)20 7886 8150 |
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