17th Dec 2007 07:00
Physiomics PLC17 December 2007 Physiomics plc The Magdalen Centre The Oxford Science Park Robert Robinson Avenue Oxford OX4 4GA UK Tel 01865 784980 Fax 08701 671931 17 December 2007 Physiomics Plc ("Physiomics" or "the Company") MOU with Swansea University (access to Supercomputer "Blue C") Physiomics plc (AIM: PYC), the Oxford, UK based systems biology company, ispleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding ('MOU')with the Institute of Life Science of Swansea University ('ILS'), which willprovide mutual benefits. Under the terms of the MOU, Physiomics will have access to the Supercomputer"Blue C", one of the most powerful computers in the world dedicated to LifeScience and is the result of a collaboration between the University, the WelshAssembly Government and computer giant IBM. This will reinforce Physiomics'modelling framework and help to address the ever increasing computingrequirements in the field of System Biology. Collaborative research programs will be set up with the oncology research groupsat the ILS, with the first collaboration already agreed with the group of DrShareen Doak. These programs will focus on the effect of anticancer drugs andPhysiomics will contribute with its modelling expertise in biological systemsperforming simulations of mutual interest. Dr Christophe Chassagnole, COO of Physiomics, said: 'Physiomics has continued to develop its technology to the point where morepowerful computer facilities were required. The team has already run some pilotstudies using the ILS 'Blue C' supercomputer and have demonstrated its potentialto reduce tasks that would take many hours to complete, to just a couple ofminutes. As well the research collaborations with the ILS' research teams willgive us access to invaluable expertise and experimental data in the oncologyfield'. David Lewis, Director of the Blue C facility at Swansea University's ILS, said: 'We are delighted to enter a very constructive Collaborative Research agreementwith Physiomics. Our ILS project is funded (in part) by European UnionStructural Funds, which are focussed on promoting Economic Development in WestWales and the Valleys. Swansea University's School of Medicine, and theInstitute of Life Science, plays a key role: creating the core of a 'LifeSciences cluster' of Academic Research, together with scientific collaborationswith high-tech companies (both small and large) in this field. We see ouragreement with Physiomics as being a very visible proof-point of our ability toreach out into the private sector, to find partners and collaborators, togetherwith whom we can push forward the frontiers of medical science. Supercomputingplays a key role, and we look forward to working closely with Physiomics'scientists. Contact Details: Physiomics plc:Dr Christophe Chassagnole, phone +44 (0)1865 784982E-mail: [email protected] Swansea University:Ms. Sian Newman, Communications Manager, ILS, phone +44 (0)1792 602362E-mail: [email protected] Grant Thornton Corporate Finance:Philip Secrett and Colin Aaronson, phone +44 (0) 20 7383 5100 Information on Physiomics plcPhysiomics plc (AIM:PYC) is a computational systems biology services companyapplying simulations of cell behaviour to drug development to reduce the highattrition rates of clinical trials. As 80-90 per cent of all clinical drugcandidates fail to reach the market, estimates1 show that an overall ten percent improvement in success rates could reduce the cost of one drug'sdevelopment by as much as $242 million, from the current estimate of around $800million. Physiomics develops computational systems biology models to predict andunderstand cancer drug efficacy from pre-clinical research to clinicaldevelopment. Physiomics has created detailed mathematical models incorporatingmost important molecular events taking place during the human cell cycle andapoptosis processes. Physiomics developed SystemCell(R) technology, a multi-cellular environment software, which enables the simulation of population of"virtual cells". Physiomics, based in Oxford, UK, was founded in 2001, and floated on AIMin 2004. For further information, please visit www.physiomics-plc.com SystemCell(R) is a registered trademark of Physiomics plc 1 Tufts Center Impact Report 2002 Information on Institute of Life Science (Swansea University) http://www.swansea.ac.uk/ils Born out of the success of the School of Medicine at Swansea University, theInstitute of Life Science (ILS) is both a concept and a physical space. Its aimis the application of interdisciplinary science to health and medicine and thecoupling of medical advance with economic development. With this in mind, theILS marks the beginning of great new things for Wales's innovative researchersand business developers alike. Life science is recognised as one of the most fertile sources of technologytransfer in the world, giving the ILS the potential to create significanteconomic wealth. Opportunities are arising from areas such as researchcollaboration, intellectual property licensing, spinout companies and inwardinvestment and, in readiness for these, the ILS is well equipped. Withstate-of-the-art laboratories as well as a dedicated Business DevelopmentCentre, complete with Business Incubation Suites and a specialist externalrelations team, the focus here is on building long-term commercial-academiclinks and making first-class medical progress. Research at the ILS investigates all aspects of the science of life, from thefundamental molecular characteristics of diseases and treatments through tohealthcare delivery and the efficient practice of medicine. Pioneers inlaboratory-based bio-medical research work together with colleagues in healthservices and public health research on complex health issues that have bothbiological and social elements, such as diabetes and mental health disorders,and the outcome of these collaborations is a more rounded understanding of humanhealth. The emphasis at the ILS is high quality inter- and multi-disciplinary research.The work reflects the post-genomic era, in which scientists have a near completepicture of the human genome at hand and can start collaborating in order toidentify the complex genetic background of many diseases and start improvingtreatments. It is also an era of increasing healthcare delivery challenges,such as hospital-acquired infections and insufficient data collation. The ILSis responding to these challenges and many others with innovative zeal, focusingon discovering radical ways to treat disease and deliver healthcare. In short,it is taking medical advances from the laboratory into hospitals, surgeries andhomes. As well as traditional research, the ILS and Swansea University also provide aunique infrastructure for computational biology. This is centred on the Blue Csupercomputer, one of the very few supercomputers in the world dedicated to lifescience research, which has been given a permanent home at the university aspart of a high profile collaboration with IBM. The agreement is part of IBM'scontinued commitment to the healthcare and life science sectors and it is also apart of the company's strategy of forging relationships with some of the world'sleading research organisations. The computer can perform calculations that would take hours or even days on anexisting computer - its current average speed is 2.7 teraflops (this is anindustry-recognised measure of high performance). The use of supercomputing todrive forward medical treatment is at the forefront of both genetic andmolecular laboratory-based research and it is also revolutionising community-based healthcare studies by bringing together disparate sets of information onpatients and trends. By bringing these aspects together, supercomputing willone day enable doctors to tailor treatment individually to each patient's needs. END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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