Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development and commercialisation of novel therapeutic vaccines and gene-based therapies with a focus on oncology and neurotherapy. The Company was established in 1995 as a spin-out from Oxford University, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The Company has a platform of gene delivery technologies, which are based on highly engineered viral systems. Oxford BioMedica also has in-house clinical, regulatory and manufacturing know-how. In oncology, the lead product candidate is TroVax®, an immunotherapy for multiple solid cancers, which is licensed to sanofi-aventis for global development and commercialisation. A Phase III trial of TroVax in renal cancer is ongoing and sanofi-aventis is implementing a development plan for colorectal cancer. Oxford BioMedica's oncology pipeline includes a specific immunotherapy candidate, Hi-8® MEL, for melanoma, which has completed two clinical trials. In neurotherapy, the Company's lead product, ProSavin®, is expected to enter clinical development for Parkinson's disease in 2007. The neurotherapy pipeline also includes preclinical gene-based therapeutics for vision loss, motor neuron disease and nerve repair. In addition, the Company has a platform technology for therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases.

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 75 split between its main facilities in Oxford and its wholly owned subsidiary, BioMedica Inc, in San Diego, California. Corporate partners include sanofi-aventis for TroVax and Wyeth for a targeted antibody therapy. The Company also has collaborations with Intervet, Sigma-Aldrich, Viragen, MolMed and Virxsys. Technology licensees include Merck & Co, Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer.

TroVax is Oxford BioMedica's leading cancer immunotherapy product, which is being developed in collaboration with sanofi-aventis. 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.

In 2006, Oxford BioMedica started a Phase III trial of TroVax in renal cancer and sanofi-aventis is implementing a development plan for colorectal cancer. The product has attracted support from Cancer Research UK, the US National Cancer Institute, and the UK clinical trials network, QUASAR. These organisations are conducting or plan to conduct clinical trials with TroVax.

sanofi-aventis is one of the world leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, ranking number one in Europe. Backed by a world-class R&D organisation, sanofi-aventis is developing leading positions in seven major therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, thrombosis, oncology, metabolic diseases, central nervous system, internal medicine and vaccines. sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).