31st Aug 2005 07:02
Evolutec Group PLC31 August 2005 For immediate release 31 August 2005 EVOLUTEC GROUP PLC ("Evolutec" or "the Company") Positive anti-tick vaccine result Merial Ltd. ("Merial") to continue development work in tick-borne diseases Evolutec Group plc (AIM: EVC), a biopharmaceutical company developing novelproducts for the treatment of allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, ispleased to announce that Merial, a world-leading, innovation-driven animalhealth company, has completed the initial testing of Evolutec's anti-tickvaccine candidate in cattle and obtained encouraging results. Merial's initial anti-tick screen against Boophilus ticks in cattle, a cause ofmajor productivity losses due to disease transmission, hide damage and anaemia,has shown that Evolutec's vaccine significantly reduced the level of tickinfestation. On the basis of this positive result, Merial has decided to continue proof ofconcept work on Evolutec's vaccine technology. Merial now intends to evaluatethe vaccine candidates against tick-borne diseases of economic importance. A research programme to evaluate the vaccines against tick-borne diseases isunder definition and a new agreement with Merial will be drawn up to cover thiswork. Mark Carnegie Brown, Evolutec's Chief Executive, commented: "We are encouragedby this result and delighted that Merial have decided to continue theirassessment of our vaccine technology against tick-borne diseases. Evolutec'stechnology also has the potential to translate into human vaccine applications." Speaking for Merial, Bob Nordgren, Head of Biological Research and TechnologyAcquisition, added: "As a research-driven company with a history of bringinginnovative vaccines to the market, Merial is pleased to collaborate withEvolutec on this project, which has yielded encouraging results." ENDS For further information: Evolutec 0118 922 4480 Mark Carnegie Brown, Chief Executive OfficerNicholas Badman, Chief Financial Officerwww.evolutec.co.uk Robert W. Baird 020 7488 1212Shaun Dobson/Xavier de Mol Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000Mark Court/Tim Anderson/Mary-Jane Johnson Notes for Editors: About Evolutec Evolutec, which is based in Reading, UK, is a clinical stage biopharmaceuticalcompany with a focus on allergy, inflammation and auto-immune diseases. The Company has commenced a 112 patient proof of concept Phase II clinical trialwith rEV131, its lead product, in allergic rhinitis. Evolutec intends to carryout additional proof of concept Phase II trials with rEV131 in post-cataractsurgery and dry eye. Positive pre-clinical data has also been generated inasthma. rEV131 is a histamine binding protein and is understood to be the onlyproduct currently in clinical trials that impacts the recently discovered H4receptor, a receptor implicated in many forms of inflammatory disease. The Company has a further two products in pre-clinical development: rEV598,which is being evaluated in carcinoid syndrome and CINV (chemotherapy-inducednausea and vomiting), and rEV576, a complement inhibitor. Evolutec was founded in 1998 to exploit research carried out by the NaturalEnvironment Research Council. Evolutec's drugs were first isolated from thesaliva of ticks. The tick remains undetected by its hosts, including humans, byinjecting an array of molecules into the skin that suppresses normal defencemechanisms. These stealth molecules have evolved over millions of years toenable the tick to take a blood meal from its host. Evolutec employs the tick'sevolutionary stealth technology to offer the potential of treating humandiseases. Safe Harbour statement: this news release may contain forward-looking statementsthat reflect the current expectations of the Company regarding future events.Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events coulddiffer materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factorsincluding the success of the Company's research strategies, the applicability ofthe discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of clinicalstudies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the successfulintegration of completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expectedsynergies from such transactions, and the ability of the Company to identify andconsummate suitable strategic and business combination transactions. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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