Launch of KeratinoSensTM Service

9th September 2014

Cyprotex PLC

Launch of KeratinoSensTM Service

An OECD guideline compliant, in vitro assay for skin sensitisation

Cyprotex PLC (AIM:CRX), a specialist ADME-Tox Contract Research Organisation (CRO), today announces the launch of a new in vitro screening service for determining skin sensitisation using the KeratinoSensTM test method. In February this year, EURL ECVAM (European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing) published its recommendation on the KeratinoSensTM assay for use within an integrated strategy for skin sensitisation testing. The draft OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) test guidelines were released in May 2014 and Cyprotex has validated the assay based on these guidelines.

Establishing in vitro alternatives to animal testing is a key goal of the regulatory authorities especially in the cosmetics and personal care markets where there has been a ban on animal testing in many countries for these products. The KeratinoSensTM test method extends Cyprotex's range of services in this segment. The Company now has a comprehensive panel of relevant in vitro methods for testing of skin and ocular irritation, skin corrosion, skin sensitisation, skin absorption and phototoxicity which are available to our customers in the personal care/cosmetics, chemical and household products, and pharmaceutical industries.

A skin sensitiser is a substance that leads to an allergic response following skin contact. This can manifest itself as allergic contact dermatitis which is a major occupational and environmental disease. Skin sensitisation is an important field of research for Cyprotex. As well as offering standard test methods such as the direct peptide reactivity assay (DPRA) and KeratinoSensTM, CeeTox (acquired by Cyprotex in January 2014) developed the SenCeeTox® method which uses a multiparametric approach to evaluate skin sensitisation within a 3D skin model. Cyprotex continue to develop and improve this technology and it is a popular approach for screening finished products such as creams or lotions and insoluble chemicals.

Cyprotex's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Anthony Baxter, said, 'Our acquisition of the business and assets of CeeTox in 2014 has enabled Cyprotex to attract interest from new markets such as the cosmetics/personal care and chemical industries. We are committed to keeping up-to-date with the regulatory authorities recommended approaches, and to developing our own novel technologies to better understand complex issues such as skin sensitisation. The launch of KeratinoSensTM expands our portfolio of assays ensuring we maintain our competitive position in this area.'

For more information on our KeratinoSensTM service, please contact [email protected]

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Notes to Editors

Cyprotex PLC

Cyprotex is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (CRX). It has sites at Macclesfield and Alderley Park, both of which are near Manchester in the UK, and at Watertown, MA and Kalamazoo, MI in the US. The Company was established in 1999 and works with more than 900 partners within the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, cosmetics and personal care industry and the chemical industry. Cyprotex acquired Apredica and the assets of Cellumen Inc. in August 2010 and the combined business provides support for a wide range of experimental and computational ADME-Tox and PK services, extending from early drug discovery through to IND submission. The acquisition of the assets and business of CeeTox in January 2014 has enabled Cyprotex to expand its range of services to target the personal care, cosmetics and chemical industries. The Company's core capabilities include high quality in vitro ADME screening services, mechanistic toxicology and high content toxicology screening services, including our proprietary CellCiphr® toxicity prediction technology, predictive modelling using PBPK and QSAR techniques, including Cloe® PK for in vivo PK prediction, and a range of skin, ocular and endocrine disruption services. For more information, see www.cyprotex.com.