Cyprotex and TB Alliance form collaboration

Cyprotex PLC ("Cyprotex" or "the Company")

Cyprotex and TB Alliance form collaboration to aid the struggle against global tuberculosis (TB)

Cyprotex have been selected by The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) to work with the Alliance in the effort to overcome the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.

Cyprotex have joined in the effort to accelerate the discovery and development of new TB drugs that will shorten treatment, be effective against susceptible and resistant strains, be compatible with antiretroviral therapies for those HIV-TB patients currently on such therapies, and improve treatment of latent infection.

Cyprotex's in vitro and in silico ADME Tox technologies will be utilised to help accelerate TB drug discovery. Cyprotex's unique Cloe® Screen platform use state-of-the-art robotics and a sophisticated customised information management system which dramatically reduce the cost and time in generating data while ensuring high reproducibility.

By using the in silico technologies under Cloe® Predict, the TB Alliance has access to Cyprotex's expertise in PBPK and QSAR modeling, which uses proprietary software that integrates core ADME and physicochemical properties to predict whole-body pharmacokinetics (Cloe® PK) or human intestinal absorption (Cloe® HIA). These in silico services are accessible through a secure web portal, enabling the TB Alliance's researchers access from around the world.

The CEO of Cyprotex, Dr Anthony Baxter, comments on the relationship, 'Cyprotex are committed to helping the TB Alliance, a not-for-profit organization, in their fight against this disease, which kills approximately 1.8 million people worldwide. The TB Alliance's goal is to develop better and faster-acting TB drugs, and to make them available and affordable to those in need. These new drugs will greatly enhance treatment of this disease and positively impact the global TB burden.'

About TB

Every year, 1.8 million people worldwide die from TB. Today's TB drugs are nearly 50 years old and must be taken for six to nine months for drug-sensitive disease and up to 24 months for drug-resistant disease. Long, demanding treatment schedules prove too much for many patients and the resulting erratic or inconsistent treatment can result in drug resistance, treatment failure, or death.

About the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development

The TB Alliance is a not-for-profit, product-development partnership accelerating the discovery and development of new TB drugs that will shorten treatment, be effective against susceptible and resistant strains, be compatible with antiretroviral therapies for those HIV-TB patients currently on such therapies, and improve treatment of latent infection. Working with public and private partners worldwide, the TB Alliance is leading the development of the most comprehensive portfolio of TB drug candidates in history. It is committed to ensuring that approved new regimens are affordable, adopted and available to those who need them.

The TB Alliance operates with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS), the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). For more information on TB drug development and the TB Alliance, please visit www.tballiance.org .

About Cyprotex

Cyprotex are the world's largest contract research organisation specialising in preclinical ADME Tox. The company was established in 1999 and works with over 500 customers worldwide, ranging from small biotech organizations to large pharmaceutical companies. Cyprotex support a wide range of in vitro and in silico ADME Tox and PK services, extending from early drug discovery through to IND submission. For more information on Cyprotex please visit www.cyprotex.com.

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