1/22/2010
Oxford,
UK: 22nd January 2010: Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB), a leading gene
therapy company, announced today that it has entered a license agreement with
the Research Development Foundation, the technology transfer entity for the
Clayton Foundation for Research of Houston, Texas. Under the terms of the
agreement, Oxford BioMedica has secured exclusive rights to intellectual
property that supports its gene-based ocular products RetinoStat® and
Encorstat®. Oxford BioMedica will pay an upfront payment and
royalties on sales. Further details were not disclosed.
The intellectual property describes a novel method for effective
delivery of anti-angiogenic genes to the eye using lentiviral vectors. The
technology was invented by Dr Timothy Stout and Dr Binoy Appukuttan working at
the Oregon Health & Science University.
In a separate agreement, also
announced today, the Research Development Foundation has agreed to subscribe
for a total of 1,699,876 ordinary shares of 1p each at £0.11575 per share. Application
will be made to the United Kingdom Listing Authority ('UKLA') for the newly
issued ordinary shares in Oxford BioMedica to be admitted to the Official List
of the UKLA and to the London Stock Exchange plc for admission to trading on
its market for listed securities. The shares are expected to commence trading
on 28th January 2010.
John
Dawson, Chief Executive of Oxford BioMedica, commented: “We are delighted to
have secured exclusive rights to these patents and to be working with Dr Stout
and his team. We look forward to a successful 2010 as we progress our ocular
products towards the clinic.”
Oxford
BioMedica plc
Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company developing
innovative gene-based medicines and therapeutic vaccines that aim to improve
the lives of patients with high unmet medical needs. The Company’s technology
platform includes a highly efficient gene delivery system (LentiVector®), which
has specific advantages for targeting diseases of the central nervous system
and the eye; and a unique tumour antigen (5T4), which is an ideal target for
anti-cancer therapy. Through in-house and collaborative research, Oxford
BioMedica has a broad pipeline. Partners include sanofi-aventis, Sigma-Aldrich
and Wyeth. Technology licensees include Biogen-Idec, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck
& Co and Pfizer. Further information is available at www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk
The
Clayton Foundation
The Clayton Foundation for Research is a Houston, Texas-based non-profit
medical research organization founded in 1933 by Benjamin Clayton. The Clayton
Foundation and its supporting entities have more than thirty medical research
projects at eleven institutions, and the Foundation has the rights to the
intellectual property arising from these projects. Several cutting-edge
biomedical technologies discovered by the Clayton Foundation have been
successfully commercialized through the creation of start-up companies and
out-licensing.
www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk/page.asp?pageid=59&newsid=251