INNUREX(R) PRODUCT RESTORES LIMB FUNCTION
RNS Number:2978Z
Oxford Biomedica PLC
02 June 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2 JUNE 2004
OXFORD BIOMEDICA'S INNUREX(R) PRODUCT RESTORES LIMB FUNCTION IN A PRECLINICAL
MODEL OF AVULSION INJURY
- Data presented at the 7th Annual Meeting of the American Society For Gene
Therapy -
Oxford, UK: 2 June 2004 - Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB), the leading gene therapy
company, announced today that preclinical data from the Innurex nerve repair
programme are being presented by Dr. Nicholas Mazarakis, the Company's Vice
President for Neurobiology, at the 7th Annual Meeting of the American Society of
Gene Therapy held in Minneapolis from June 2-6. The data, which will shortly be
sent for peer-reviewed publication, show that Innurex is able to restore
function to damaged limbs in a model of avulsion (stretch) injury. These results
indicate that Innurex may have clinical benefit in patients with nerve damage
resulting from severe pull/stretch injury, a common consequence of sporting and
motor accidents.
Within the field of neurobiology nerve repair has been a long sought goal for
the treatment of nerve damage and spinal injury. The aim is to induce nerve
cells to regrow and bridge sites of injury thereby reconnecting the nerve fibres
and restoring function. At present there are no effective therapies for nerve
damage and spinal injury.
The new results with Innurex are the first functional data to come from Oxford
BioMedica's nerve repair programme and they indicate that the new nerve
connections induced by Innurex restore substantial function to limbs that have a
damaged nerve supply. The data were generated from an ongoing collaboration
between Oxford BioMedica and Professors Malcolm Maden and Stephen McMahon at
King's College London.
Prof. Alan Kingsman, Oxford BioMedica's Chief Executive, said: "Innurex goes
from strength to strength. In December of last year we announced that Innurex
had been shown to induce nerve regrowth in vivo. We now know that the regrowth
is significant in that injured limbs regain both movement and sensation as a
result of treatment with Innurex."
-Ends-
For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc:
---------------------
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive Tel: +44(0)1865 783 000
City/Financial Enquiries:
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Lisa Baderoon/ Mark Court: Buchanan Communications Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000
Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries:
---------------------------------
Sue Charles, Katja Stout: Northbank Communications Tel: +44 (0)20 7886 8150
Notes to editors
1. Oxford BioMedica
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.
In addition to its technical expertise in gene delivery, Oxford BioMedica has
in-house clinical, regulatory and manufacturing know-how. The development
pipeline includes two novel anti-cancer products in clinical trials and two
neurotherapy products in advanced preclinical development for Parkinson's
disease and retinopathy. The Company is underpinned by an extensive preclinical
and research portfolio and about 70 patent families, which represents one of the
broadest patent estates in the field.
The Company has a staff of approx 65 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, Merck & Co,
Amersham and Kiadis.
Further information is available at oxfordbiomedica.co.uk
2. Innurex(R)
Innurex is a product comprising Oxford BioMedica's LentiVector delivery system
carrying the RAR??2 gene (a subtype of the retinoic acid receptor). The Company
acquired exclusive rights to the RAR??2 gene from King's College London where
the initial observation that this gene could programme nerve cells to regrow in
vitro was made. The product is being investigated extensively in in vivo
industry-standard preclinical models of nerve repair in avulsion and spinal cord
injury. In April 2004, the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation awarded a
grant to King's College London to explore the use of Innurex in spinal cord
injury.
3. King's College London
King's is one of the oldest and largest colleges of the University of London
with 13,800 undergraduate students and some 5,300 postgraduates in ten schools
of study. The College had 24 of its subject-areas awarded the highest rating of
5* and 5 for research quality, demonstrating excellence at an international
level. King's is in the top group of five universities for research earnings
with income from grants and contracts of more than #93 million (2002-2003) and
has an annual turnover of #320 million. King's is a member of the Russell Group,
a coalition of the UK's major research-based universities.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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