New Agreement
Evolutec Group PLC
28 February 2005
For immediate release 28 February 2005
EVOLUTEC GROUP PLC
('Evolutec' or 'the Company')
Agreement signed with Cambrex to develop a commercial manufacturing process for
rEV131
Evolutec Group plc (AIM: EVC), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing
novel products for the treatment of allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune
diseases, is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with Cambrex
Bio Science Baltimore, Inc. ('Cambrex') to manufacture rEV131, Evolutec's lead
compound, for Phase III clinical trials and planned marketing.
rEV131 has been manufactured to date according to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
standards for the Phase II clinical trials planned for 2005 in allergic rhinitis
and post-operative cataract surgery. The current GLP process produces good
yields of rEV131.
The agreement with Cambrex covers process development work, during which Cambrex
will develop a robust, scaleable, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP)
process for purified rEV131, with the goal of optimising the process yield. The
agreement then provides for Cambrex to scale-up the cGMP process.
Mark Carnegie Brown, Evolutec's Chief Executive, said: 'This agreement, with a
market leader, represents a significant endorsement of Evolutec's core asset
rEV131 and serves to support planned clinical trials and marketing.'
Steven Klosk, Chief Operating Officer, Cambrex Biopharma business, commented: '
We are pleased that Evolutec has selected Cambrex for the manufacture of their
lead compound rEV131. Our extensive experience developing scaleable processes
and dedication to quality will be key features of the project's success. We
look forward to working on this exciting new therapeutic.'
ENDS
For further information:
Evolutec 01865 784070
Mark Carnegie Brown, Chief Executive Officer
Nicholas Badman, Chief Financial Officer
www.evolutec.co.uk
Cambrex +1 201 804 3062
Anne-Marie Hess, Director Investor Relations annemarie.hess@cambrex.com
and Corporate Communications
Collins Stewart 020 7523 8350
Chris Howard
Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000
Mark Court/Tim Anderson/Mary-Jane Johnson
Notes for Editors:
About Evolutec
Evolutec, which is based in Oxford, UK, is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical
company with a focus on allergy, inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
The Company's lead product, rEV131, is a histamine-binding protein that has
progressed to Phase II trials in allergic conjunctivitis, rhinitis and ocular
inflammation. Positive pre-clinical data has also been generated in asthma.
rEV131 is understood to be the only product currently in clinical trials that
impacts the recently discovered H4 receptor, a receptor implicated in many forms
of inflammatory disease. The Company intends to carryout proof of concept Phase
II clinical trials with rEV131 in allergic rhinitis and post-cataract surgery in
2005.
The Company has two further products in pre-clinical development: rEV598, which
is being evaluated in carcinoid syndrome and CINV (chemotherapy-induced nausea
and vomiting), and rEV576, a complement inhibitor.
Evolutec was founded in 1998 to exploit research carried out by the Natural
Environment Research Council. Evolutec's drugs were first isolated from the
saliva of ticks. The tick remains undetected by its hosts, including humans, by
injecting an array of molecules into the skin that suppresses normal defence
mechanisms. These stealth molecules have evolved over millions of years to
enable the tick to take a blood meal from its host. Evolutec employs the tick's
evolutionary stealth technology to offer the potential of treating human
diseases.
About Cambrex Bio Science Baltimore
Cambrex Bio Science Baltimore, Inc., a subsidiary of Cambrex Corporation (NYSE:
CBM), is a contract manufacturer of bulk biopharmaceuticals. The company
provides pre-clinical, Phase I to III and commercial-scale production of
biopharmaceutical vaccines and therapeutics. Projects are taken from process
development through manufacturing and long-term supply. The Company has
extensive experience in scale-up and commercial production of recombinant
proteins, vaccines and plasmid DNA. Ancillary services include formulation
development, stability studies, process and analytical validation and regulatory
support. For more information, go to www.cambrex.com/biopharma.
Cambrex Corporation is a global, diversified life science company dedicated to
providing high quality products and services that accelerate the development and
commercialization of human therapeutics. The Company employs approximately 1900
worldwide. For more information, please visit our website at http://
www.cambrex.com.
Safe Harbour statement: this news release may contain forward-looking statements
that reflect the current expectations of the Company regarding future events.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could
differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors
including the success of the Company's research strategies, the applicability of
the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of clinical
studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the successful
integration of completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expected
synergies from such transactions, and the ability of the Company to identify and
consummate suitable strategic and business combination transactions.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange