VALIRX Plc: Physiomics Collaboration Update - Cancer Cell Death Model Developed

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 17 Dec 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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ValiRx (AIM: VAL), the cancer therapeutics company, announces that Phase 1 of its collaboration with Physiomics plc ("Physiomics") (AIM: PYC), the European systems biology simulation company, has been completed.

Under the collaboration, originally announced in February 2007, Physiomics' In Silico simulation technology has been successfully coupled with ValiRx's GeneICE technology to generate a cancer cell death model - the Apoptosis Model.

This model, on which ValiRx believes it should be able to secure a patent, will be used to accelerate ValiRx's own internal development programmes and as an R&D tool to be licensed out to third parties.

Already the Apoptosis Model has helped the Company reach key decisions regarding GeneICE in relation to which new cancer cells to target. For example, it has helped support the decision to focus on specific hormone resistant cancers.

Dr Satu Vainikka, CEO of ValiRx, commented:

"Systems based biology is able not only to accelerate the R&D process but also improve diagnostic and prognostic processes. We believe our Apoptosis Model represents a significant new tool for use within the pharmaceutical industry and has already received significant industry interest."

Dr Christophe Chassagnole, COO of Physiomics added:

"We are pleased to have successfully applied our simulation technology to accelerate the development of ValiRx's breakthrough GeneICE compounds. The respective strengths of our technologies have synergised to produce significant gains and we look forward to continuing to work with ValiRx in the future."

About ValiRx plc

ValiRx is a biopharmaceutical development company that is building a portfolio of complementary cancer-related therapeutic and diagnostic technologies. It currently holds a worldwide exclusive license for Nucleosomics, the early stage oncology diagnostics technology, and has majority stakes in Cronos Ltd and ValiBIO SA:

- Cronos holds worldwide exclusive licenses to two innovative and potentially market changing technologies, GeneICE and HyperGenomics, and is developing further novel cancer therapies;

- ValiBIO SA is a Belgium joint venture between ValiRx and Bio.Be focusing on the development and commercialisation of products in the epigenomics sector, the first products to be put into development being HyperGenomics and Nucleosomics. ValiRx has a 77% majority holding in the company.

ValiRx is headquartered in London, England. Further information can be found at http://www.valirx.com

About Physiomics plc

Physiomics plc (AIM:PYC) is a computational systems biology services company applying simulations of cell behaviour to drug development to reduce the high attrition rates of clinical trials. As 80-90 per cent of all clinical drug candidates fail to reach the market, estimates1 show that an overall ten per cent improvement in success rates could reduce the cost of one drug's development by as much as $242 million, from the current estimate of around $800 million.

Physiomics develops computational systems biology models to predict and understand cancer drug efficacy from pre-clinical research to clinical development. Physiomics has created detailed mathematical models incorporating most important molecular events taking place during the human cell cycle and apoptosis processes. Physiomics developed SystemCell® technology, a multi-cellular environment software, which enables the simulation of population of "virtual cells".

Physiomics, based in Oxford, UK, was founded in 2001, and floated on AIM in 2004. For further information, please visit http://www.physiomics-plc.com

SystemCell® is a registered trademark of Physiomics plc

1 Tufts Centre Impact Report 2002