Licensing Agreement
Oxford Biomedica PLC
19 December 2006
For Immediate Release 19 DECEMBER 2006
OXFORD BIOMEDICA EXPANDS LICENSING AGREEMENT FOR LENTIVECTOR(R) TECHNOLOGY WITH
MAJOR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY
Oxford, UK - 19 December 2006: Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB), a leading gene
therapy company, today announced that it has expanded an existing licence
agreement for its LentiVector technology with a major multinational
pharmaceutical company. The amendment broadens the agreement from an annual
license for use of Oxford BioMedica's gene delivery technology for research
activities in the USA to a world-wide perpetual license. Under the terms of the
amended agreement, Oxford BioMedica will receive a one-time undisclosed payment
from the licensee. Further financial details were not disclosed.
Oxford BioMedica's lentivirus-based gene delivery technology, known as
LentiVector, is one of the most powerful technologies for the delivery of genes
to a wide range of cell and tissue types. The LentiVector technology has
applications both in therapeutic products and as a drug discovery tool for
target validation and the creation of targeted disease models. Oxford BioMedica
has a comprehensive portfolio of US and European patents that cover the
technology. The Company has an active licensing programme providing access to
its LentiVector technology on a non-exclusive basis primarily. Licensees include
Biogen Idec, Merck & Co and Pfizer.
-Ends-
For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc: Tel: +44 (0)1865 783 000
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive
City/Financial Enquiries: Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000
Lisa Baderoon/ Mark Court/ Mary-Jane Johnson Buchanan
Communications
Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries: Tel: +44 (0)20 3008 7555
Gemma Bradley/ Susan Yu/ Katja Stout
Northbank Communications
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 oncology and
neurotherapy. The Company was established in 1995 as a spin out from Oxford
University, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Oxford BioMedica has core expertise in gene delivery, as well as in-house
clinical, regulatory and manufacturing know-how. In oncology, the pipeline
includes two clinical candidates and a preclinical targeted antibody therapy,
which is being developed in collaboration with Wyeth. The Company has started
Phase III development of its lead cancer immunotherapy product, TroVax, in renal
cancer and multiple Phase II trials in various cancer settings are ongoing or
planned. In neurotherapy, the Company's lead product, ProSavin, is expected to
enter clinical trials in Parkinson's disease in 2007. The preclinical pipeline
includes gene-based products for vision loss, motor neuron disease and nerve
repair.
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 70 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, Sigma-Aldrich, Viragen, MolMed,
Virxsys and Kiadis; and has licensed technology to a number of companies
including Merck & Co, Biogen Idec and Pfizer.
Further information is available at www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk
2. LentiVector technology
Oxford BioMedica's LentiVector gene delivery technology, based on lentiviruses,
is arguably the most potent system currently available for treating a range of
diseases, particularly those of the central nervous system. Oxford BioMedica has
shown that its lentiviral vectors are able to deliver genes with high efficiency
to a variety of both dividing and non-dividing cells, including neurons in the
brain.
Oxford BioMedica has three issued US patents and a European patent for its
LentiVector technology. These include broad composition of matter claims and
methods of production claims for lentiviral vector gene delivery systems of both
human and non-human origin. The patents also cover derivatives of lentiviral
vector systems that, unlike many versions of lentiviral vectors, have real
clinical utility because of their safety.
The Company has established a neurotherapy pipeline of product candidates based
on its LentiVector technology, which includes ProSavin(R) for Parkinson's
disease, RetinoStat(R) for retinopathy, MoNudin(R) for motor neuron disease,
SMN1-G for spinal muscular atrophy and Innurex(R) for nerve repair.
3. Sigma-Aldrich
Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Its
biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and
genomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of
disease and as key components in pharmaceutical and other high technology
manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university
and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million
scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 35
countries and has 7,200 employees providing excellent service worldwide.
Sigma-Aldrich is committed to Accelerating Customer Success through Leadership
in Life Science, High Technology and Service.
For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award-winning website
at www.sigma-aldrich.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange