AGM Statement
ReNeuron Group plc
21 September 2006
Results of 2006 Annual General Meeting
Guildford, UK, 21 September 2006: ReNeuron Group plc (LSE: RENE) today announces
that all resolutions put to its Shareholders at its 2006 Annual General Meeting
(the AGM) were passed.
Amongst other matters, pursuant to the terms of the AGM resolutions, each of the
Company's Ordinary Shares, previously of 10p in nominal value, were subdivided
into one new Ordinary Share of 1p in nominal value and one Deferred Share of 9p
in nominal value. All such Deferred Shares were thereafter repurchased by the
Company for 1p in aggregate and have now been cancelled.
Shareholders should note that the reduction in the nominal value of each
Ordinary Share does not result in a change in the number of Ordinary Shares in
issue nor in any change in the underlying value of the business and assets of
the Company.
Commenting at the AGM, Professor Trevor Jones, Chairman of ReNeuron, said:
'Whilst ReNeuron's recent share price performance has been disappointing, we do
not believe it is representative of the continuing progress the Company is
making with its therapeutic and non-therapeutic stem cell programmes. In
particular, the late pre-clinical development of our ReN001 stem cell therapy
for stroke has proceeded to plan, with the application to commence initial
clinical studies currently being assembled. As mentioned in earlier
announcements, we intend to file this application to the US FDA before the end
of this year.'
Enquiries:
ReNeuron
Michael Hunt, CEO Tel: 44 (0)1483 302 560
John Sinden, CSO
Financial Dynamics
David Yates Tel: 44 (0)20 7831 3113
Sarah Macleod
Notes to Editors
ReNeuron is a leading, UK-based adult stem cell therapy business. The Group is
applying its novel stem cell platform technologies in the development of
ground-breaking stem cell therapies to serve significant and unmet or poorly-met
clinical needs.
ReNeuron has used its c-mycERTAM technology to generate genetically stable
neural stem cell lines. This technology platform has multi-national patent
protection and is fully regulated by means of a chemically-induced safety
switch. Cell growth can therefore be completely arrested prior to in vivo
implantation.
The Group's lead stem cell therapy, ReN001 for chronic stroke disability, is in
late pre-clinical development. The Company plans to file for approval to
commence a Phase I clinical study in stroke by the end of 2006, with the study
commencing as soon as possible thereafter. There are an estimated 50 million
(1) stroke survivors worldwide, approximately half of which are left with
permanent disabilities. The healthcare costs of caring for these patients is
estimated to amount to $45 billion(2) in the US alone.
The Group has also generated pre-clinical efficacy data with its ReN005 stem
cell therapy for Huntington's disease, a genetic and fatal neurodegenerative
disorder that affects around 1 in 10,000 people. This programme is in
pre-clinical development.
In addition to its stroke and Huntington's disease programmes, ReNeuron is
developing stem cell therapies for Parkinson's disease, Type 1 diabetes and
diseases of the retina.
ReNeuron has also leveraged its stem cell technologies into non-therapeutic
areas - its ReNcell range of cell lines for use in drug discovery applications
in the pharmaceutical industry.
ReNeuron's shares are traded on the London AIM market under the symbol RENE.L,
and its warrants are traded under the symbol RENW.L.
Further information on ReNeuron and its products can be found at
www.reneuron.com.
1. MOSES (Morbidity and mortality after stroke - Eprosartan vs nitrendipine for
secondary prevention) study, Feb 2006
2. American Heart Association, Reporting Standards for Carotid Artery
Angioplasty and Stent Placement, (Stroke, 2004; 35:e112).
This announcement contains forward-looking statements with respect to the
financial condition, results of operations and business achievements/performance
of ReNeuron and certain of the plans and objectives of management of ReNeuron
with respect thereto. These statements may generally, but not always, be
identified by the use of words such as 'should', 'expects', 'estimates',
'believes' or similar expressions. This announcement also contains
forward-looking statements attributed to certain third parties relating to their
estimates regarding the growth of markets and demand for products. By their
nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they
reflect ReNeuron's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and
circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of factors could cause
ReNeuron's actual financial condition, results of operations and business
achievements/performance to differ materially from the estimates made or implied
in such forward-looking statements and, accordingly, reliance should not be
placed on such statements.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange