3rd Oct 2006 07:01
Henderson Morley PLC03 October 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3 OCTOBER 2006 HENDERSON MORLEY PLC (AIM) Business: Drug Discovery ANIMAL HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAMME AND SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENT The Board of Henderson Morley plc ("Henderson Morley" or "the Company") ispleased to announce it has been working on a vaccine against Koi Carp Herpesvirus for the past 10 months, and is now ready to start field trials of acandidate vaccine, in a collaboration with the Internationally renowned HagermanAquaculture Research Institute, Idaho USA., under the supervision of theInstitute Director Professor Ron Hardy. The Directors believe that these initial immunogenicity studies will produceresults within 6 months, that should enable Henderson Morley scientists tooptimise the vaccine formulation, with a view to securing a product licence fromthe veterinary authorities as soon as practicable. The Board is aware that the time taken to commercialise human products may besignificant, so products in the Henderson Morley portfolio targeted at animalhealth may offer the prospect of nearer term revenue opportunities. The market for ornamental fish is significant, estimated at 3.5 million homes inthe UK1 and 139 million fish in 13 million homes in the US 2, with koi carpspecies being amongst the most popular and most valuable. *In 1998, widespread outbreaks of mortality occurred in both fish farms andornamental ponds - when some 85% to 100% of infected fish died within a fewdays. It was subsequently discovered that this disease was caused by a newlyisolated virus - Koi Herpes Virus (KHV). This virus has now been isolated in atleast 28 countries including the USA, Japan and the UK, and it has become a verysignificant problem for Koi Breeders and enthusiasts. Once infected, a pond willlose the majority of its fish within days, and no treatment or vaccine iscurrently licensed in the UK. The impact of KHV is very significant in the Koi keeping and breeding community,with the National Fisheries Laboratory stating in its information notes on Koiherpes virus as provided by the UK Environment Agency for the National FisheriesLaboratory: "Due to the pathogenicity of the virus and difficulties withdetection the Environment Agency is very concerned about the potential impact ofKHV to carp fisheries within England and Wales". To assist with the development of the KHV vaccine, the Board is pleased toannounce that it has appointed Professor Ronald John Roberts to its ScientificAdvisory Board. Professor Roberts is Professor Emeritus, University of Sterling, Professor ofAquatic Pathobiology and a Hagerman Distinguished Visiting Professor at theUniversity of Idaho, in addition to being a Scientific Advisor to the LithgowGroup plc, he is Deputy Chairman of the EU's Food Standards Authority VeterinaryPanel. Commenting Andrew Knight, Chairman of Henderson Morley said: "We believe thatAnimal Health is an important area of development for Henderson Morley and weare very pleased to welcome Professor Roberts to the Scientific Advisory Board.As we concentrate on our Animal Health research programme, his vast experiencewill be of enormous benefit to the Company and its scientific advisory board". --ENDS-- Copies of this announcement will be available free of charge to the public atthe Company's registered office at Metropolitan House, 2 Salisbury Road,Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8JS and at the offices of Brewin Dolphin SecuritiesLtd, 34 Lisbon Street, Leeds LS1 4LX for 14 days. Enquiries: HENDERSON MORLEY PLC Tel: 0121 442 4600Andrew Knight, Chairman BISHOPSGATE COMMUNICATIONS LTD Tel: 020 7430 1600Maxine Barnes Mobile: 07860 489571Jenni Herbert BREWIN DOLPHIN SECURITIES LTD Tel: 0113 241 0126Neil Baldwin Further information on Henderson Morley plc can be accessed through theCompany's website at www.henderson-morley.com 1. The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association of the UK survey 2001 2. Market survey 2005 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association *Source: Initial Isolation and Characterisation of a Herpes-like virus (KHV)from Koi by Prof. R Hendrick et al, Dept of Medicine and Epidemiology,University of California - 2000 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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