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.

TroVax is Oxford BioMedica’s leading cancer immunotherapy product. It is designed specifically to stimulate an anti-cancer immune response and has potential application in most solid tumour types. TroVax targets the tumour antigen 5T4, which is broadly distributed throughout a wide range of solid tumours. The presence of 5T4 is correlated with poor prognosis. The product consists of a poxvirus (MVA) gene transfer system, which delivers the gene for 5T4 and stimulates a patient’s body to produce an anti-5T4 immune response. This immune response destroys tumour cells carrying the 5T4 protein.

TroVax is currently in five Phase II trials, including an investigator initiated trial sponsored by Cancer Research UK. Over 85 patients have been treated with TroVax (collectively over 350 doses) in five clinical trials in colorectal cancer and renal cell carcinoma. Clinical results have shown that the product is safe and stimulates an anti-tumour immune response against 5T4 in the majority of patients. Data from the completed Phase I/II trial and ongoing Phase II trials suggest that the magnitude of the immune response induced by TroVax correlates with clinical benefit including tumour responses and time to disease progression, both of which have exceeded expectation based on published historical data. A Phase III trial in renal cell carcinoma is planned to start in 2006.