Developments in Alzheimer's Disease

RNS Number : 1665A

Proteome Sciences PLC

18 March 2013

 



Proteome Sciences plc

("Proteome" or the "Company")

Developments in Alzheimer's Disease

18^th March, 2013- Proteome Sciences presented four posters that revealed new data and assays in Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the 11^th Annual Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease (ADPD) in Florence, Italy. These generated considerable additional interest for PS Biomarker Services™ and included:

·    Novel 16 Protein CSF Panel in AD

·    Assays for Amyloid Beta, Tau and Phospho-tau in CSF

·    Novel Immunoglobulin Signatures in AD

Through these, PS Biomarker Services™ has considerably expanded its range of novel tools and assays to test AD drugs in development and for early diagnosis in blood and CSF. The fourth poster:

·    'Novel small molecule inhibitors of Casein Kinase 1 delta - a major new drug target for Alzheimer's Disease'

provided further data confirming that our in vivo study using proprietary CK1D inhibitors improved cognitive function in AD. Using a targeted proteomics approach and a smart outsourcing strategy we were able to confirm CK1D as a candidate tau Kinase and generate a library of nearly 500 small molecule inhibitors. Our two lead compounds PS110 and PS278-05 have been taken through to in vivo proof of concept. Both compounds are orally available and well tolerated in a mouse tauopathy model. Administration of PS110 led to a significant improvement in spatial memory and to a reduction in tau phosphorylation.

Since ADPD, further analysis of CK1D in vivo experiments have continued and we are delighted to confirm that both PS compounds tested have successfully achieved therapeutic levels in the brain.

Commercial discussions to outlicense CK1D that started in January have progressed rapidly with significant interest from the major pharmaceutical companies. This process will be assisted as further biological and pharmacology data becomes available in the second quarter. The strategy is to shortlist and then select the right pharma partner to license the CK1D programme in order to bring the compounds rapidly to clinical trials. As previously discussed, industry benchmarks indicate that these should command considerable license fees, milestones and royalties. 

PS Biomarker Services™ has enjoyed a strong performance from the end of 2012 and has picked up a range of new contracts from the rapidly expanding customer base. Most encouragingly these include two contracts from a top ten pharmaceutical company and also a large number of quotations/enquiries in the pipeline. This buoyant background does not include the largest services contract negotiated by the company to date and disclosed to shareholders at the end of January. This is on track to close in the next few weeks.

The Board expects strong revenue growth across the Company's three main divisions in 2013 and is much encouraged by the prospects.

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For further information please contact:

Proteome Sciences plc

Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive Officer                  Tel: [phone]

Dr. Ian Pike, Chief Operating Officer

James Malthouse, Finance Director

Nominated Adviser

Cenkos

Stephen Keys/Camilla Hume                                         Tel: [phone]

Public Relations

FTI Consulting                                                           Ikon Associates

Ben Atwell/Simon Conway/Mo Noonan                       Adrian Shaw

Tel: [phone]                                            Tel: [phone]

Notes to Editors:

About Proteome Sciences

Proteome Sciences is a global leader in applied proteomics and peptidomics offering high sensitivity, proprietary technologies for protein and peptide biomarker discovery, validation and assay development.

Its PS Biomarker Services™ uses isobaric and isotopic Tandem Mass Tag^® (TMT^®) workflows developed on the latest Orbitrap Velos and TSQ Vantage mass spectrometers to deliver rapid, robust and reproducible biomarker assay development for customers in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology sectors. Services are provided from its ISO 9001: 2008 accredited facilities in Frankfurt, Germany. By combining Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) and TMT^® workflows highly multiplexed assays can be developed rapidly and are suitable for screening hundreds of candidate biomarkers in larger validation studies and can be transferred for immunoassay development. The Company's own research has discovered a large number of novel protein biomarkers in key human diseases and is focused mainly in neurological/neurodegenerative conditions and in cancer. It has discovered and patented blood biomarkers, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, brain damage and lung cancer for diagnostic and treatment applications that are available for license or are already outlicensed. Proteome Sciences, based in Cobham, UK, with facilities in London and Frankfurt, delivers outsourced proteomics services and proprietary biomarkers/biomarker assays to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics companies.

Visit:  http://www.proteomics.com

 

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