Oxford Biomedica's Innurex(reg) Product Restores Limb Function in a Preclinical Model ff avulsion injury

Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 02 Jun 2004 - 13:00 PDT

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Oxford BioMedica, UK, (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."

Data presented at the 7th Annual Meeting of the American Society For Gene Therapy

Notes

1. Oxford BioMedica plc

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.

2. Innurex(reg)

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.

For further information please contact:

Oxford BioMedica plc
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive
Tel: +44 (0)1865 783 000

City/Financial Enquiries
Lisa Baderoon/Mark Court
Buchanan Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000

Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries
Sue Charles, Katja Stout,
Northbank Communications

http://www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk/news/2004-ob-09.htm