SAREUM HOLDINGS PLC : Research Update

(AIM: SAR)

18 February 2013

SAREUM HOLDINGS PLC
("Sareum" or the "Company")

Research Update: Research Programmes Continue To Show Positive Progress

Sareum (AIM: SAR), the specialist cancer drug discovery business, is pleased to announce positive progress with its cancer and auto-immune disease research programmes and reports the following updates on each of these programmes.

Chk1:

Safety pharmacology studies performed to date on the programme's pre-clinical development candidate have been favourable. Oral bioavailability has been demonstrated in three species, strengthening our expectation that the compound will be able to be administered via the oral route in future clinical studies.  In addition, several peer reviewed journal articles on the programme's lead compounds have been published, describing their efficacy in pre-clinical models as single agents and in combination with chemo- and radio- therapy.

We are currently reviewing options for the future development of the Chk1 programme. The options, which are either to continue licence discussions with third parties or to progress it further before licencing at a later stage, both have benefits. The former option will provide an earlier return but the latter option is one which the Company believes may provide a greater return to shareholders. Our negotiating position remains a strong one and therefore both options are available to us and our partners.

Aurora+FLT3:

Head-to-head studies continue between two advanced lead molecules, with the aim of selecting a pre-clinical development candidate by mid-2013. Alongside these studies, we continue discussing co-development options to prepare a pre-clinical development candidate for clinical studies. The recent grant of a US patent (as announced on 7 February 2013), that protects Sareum's intellectual property on this programme, should provide any prospective partner with further confidence in the programme's IP and strengthens our negotiating position.

TYK2:

Lead optimisation studies are progressing and further compounds have been designed and synthesised with improved potency and selectivity, which has been validated in cellular studies. Alongside these studies, we continue to discuss licensing and co-development opportunities with a number of interested parties.

VEGFR-3 (FLT4):

We have prioritised our research spend on other programmes whilst we investigate grant funding opportunities alongside a partner with the necessary biology expertise to assist us in the progression of this programme. Meanwhile, we await with interest the results of early clinical trials on other companies' products with similar modes of action.

Sareum's CEO, Dr. Tim Mitchell, commented:

"Our ongoing progress in our research programmes is very encouraging and we continue to discuss the commercialisation of these programmes with a number of interested parties. We are also now in a strong position to develop our programmes to later stages, should we so choose, which should mean a greater share of the end rewards and we will continue to consider this aspect alongside our various discussions with potential partners."

Sareum Holdings plc
Tim Mitchell	01223 497 700
Merchant Securities Limited (Nomad)
Simon Clements	020 7628 2200
Hybridan LLP (Broker)
Claire Noyce / Deepak Reddy	020 7947 4350
The Communications Portfolio (Media enquiries)
Philip Ranger / Caolan Mahon [e-mail]	020 7536 2028 / 2029

Notes for editors:

About Sareum Holdings plc

Sareum is a drug discovery company, headquartered in Cambridge UK, that produces targeted small molecule therapeutics, focusing on cancer and auto-immune disease. Sareum aims to successfully deliver drug candidates for licensing to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies at the pre-clinical or early clinical trials stage.

Sareum's Chk1 kinase cancer research programme is a joint research collaboration with The Institute of Cancer Research and Cancer Research Technology Limited. The development candidate resulting from the collaboration increases the effectiveness of current cancer therapeutics in in-vivo cancer models.

SKIL® (Sareum Kinase Inhibitor Library) is Sareum's drug discovery technology platform that has so far produced the Company's Aurora+FLT3, Aurora+ALK VEGFR-3, FLT3 & TYK2 kinase cancer and auto-immune disease research programmes. SKIL can also generate drug research programmes against other kinase targets.

Sareum Holdings plc joined the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in October 2004, trading under the symbol SAR. For further information, please visit www.sareum.co.uk

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Source: SAREUM HOLDINGS PLC via Thomson Reuters ONE

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