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, Virxsys and Kiadis; and has licensed technology to a number of companies including Merck & Co, Biogen Idec and Pfizer.

RetinoStat is Oxford BioMedica’s novel gene-based treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). The product uses the LentiVector system to deliver genes to the retina that block the formation of new blood vessels. Oxford BioMedica has exclusive rights to two proprietary anti-angiogenic genes, angiostatin and endostatin, for use in treatments of ocular diseases under a licensing agreement with Entremed Inc. The Company has evaluated both genes in its RetinoStat programme. The optimised version of the product, which will proceed to clinical development, carries both the angiostatin and endostatin anti-angiogenic genes and shows significantly greater efficacy than versions containing single genes. Preclinical development is being conducted in collaboration with the Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK, and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, with support from the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The Company plans to start clinical trials with RetinoStat in wet AMD in 2007.

TroVax is currently in five Phase II trials, including an investigator initiated trial sponsored by Cancer Research UK. Over 100 patients have been treated with TroVax (collectively over 400 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. Preliminary analysis of data from Phase II trials in colorectal cancer with chemotherapy indicates a potential survival benefit. A Phase III trial in renal cell carcinoma is planned to start in 2006.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are major causes of blindness in the developed world. AMD affects an estimated 25-30 million people in the western world and DR affects approximately 50% of all Americans diagnosed with diabetes. It is estimated that there are 17 million diabetics in the USA. AMD is the most common cause of visual loss in the elderly. DR is the most common cause of visual loss in the working population and is the most common cause of acquired blindness in people under 60 in the developed world.

Both wet AMD, the form of AMD which accounts for 90% of all severe vision loss from the disease, and DR are caused by aberrant growth of leaky and disruptive blood vessels in the retina. This growth is caused by a hyper-response to localised regions of low oxygen arising from compromised blood supply within the retina. Oxford BioMedica has shown that its LentiVector technology can target these regions of the eye with great accuracy and deliver anti-angiogenic proteins to treat these diseases.

Analysts’ estimates, published in the Wall Street Journal, suggest that sales of an effective treatment for macular degeneration could exceed US$1 billion per annum.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. (FFB) has a mission to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. The Foundation has funded thousands of research studies at hundreds of prominent institutions. The Foundation funds leading-edge research in promising areas such as genetics, gene therapy, retinal cell transplantation, artificial retinal implants, and pharmaceutical and nutritional therapies. Since its inception in 1971, the Foundation has raised over US$240 million. FFB is ranked as a “Top-Rated” charity by the American Institute of Philanthropy and was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities.”

Further information is available at www.fightblindness.org