6th Aug 2007 07:01
Tepnel Life Sciences PLC06 August 2007 PRESS RELEASE Tepnel Life Sciences plc receives grants to develop novel diagnostics and to help promote its pharmaceutical services in Scotland Manchester, UK, 6 August 2007 Tepnel Life Sciences PLC (AIM: TED), theinternational Molecular Diagnostics and Research Products & Services group,announces that it has been awarded two grants which will be used to expand itspipeline of human diagnostic tests and to promote future growth of itspharmaceutical services business in Scotland. A grant of £50,000 has been awarded by the Biotechnology and Biological SciencesResearch Council (BBSRC) to support the development of novel epigeneticdiagnostics. The award was made under the Industry Interchange Programme whichseeks to promote the transfer of expertise between academic and commercialorganisations. This grant relates to a research project led by Professor Mike Wilkinson, Headof the Institute of Biological Sciences at The University of Wales Aberystwyth.Professor Wilkinson, in collaboration with Tepnel, is developing a novelapproach to diagnostics which may be used to accurately identify a broad rangeof disease states including so-called complex, psychiatric diseases.Epigenetics (the study of reversible hereditary information not mediated by theDNA sequence itself) is a rapidly growing field and is central to thiscollaboration. The development of novel epigenetic technology will benefit Tepnel's moleculardiagnostic and pharmaceutical service businesses by providing new and moreefficient methods to screen for epigenetic changes that indicate bothpredisposition to and the development of disease. The introduction of epigeneticbased services will also complement genotyping and other molecular services atTepnel's new facility in Livingston allowing researchers to investigate bothepigenetic and genetic factors in disease and therapeutic development. A business support award from Scottish Enterprise, Edinburgh and Lothians (SEEL)will be used to support an overseas marketing campaign in Europe and the US topromote Tepnel's Research Products and Services (RPS) based in Livingston,Scotland. This grant will enable Tepnel's pharmaceutical services business to market itsproducts and services to countries outside the UK. Ben Matzilevich, CEO of Tepnel, said: "These grants will enable Tepnel to expandits molecular diagnostics pipeline in high growth areas. It will be used topromote our growing pharmaceutical services and products in countries where wedo not have an established presence. Tepnel will continue to seek additionalgrant funding for these and other projects and is optimistic it can reduce ordefer costs through grant funding and strategic partnerships." -Ends- For further information: Tepnel Life Sciences plc Ben Matzilevich, CEOCarol SmithTel: 0161 946 2200 Capital MS&L Mary Clark or Catie Corcoran Tel: +44 20 7307 5330 Seymour Pierce LimitedMark PercyTel: +44 20 7107 8000 Notes to Editors: About Tepnel Life Sciences plc Tepnel Life Sciences (AIM:TED) is a UK-based international life sciencesproducts and services group with two divisions, Molecular Diagnostics andResearch Products & Services. The Company has laboratories, manufacturing andoperations in the USA, UK and France with 195 employees. Tepnel provides test kits, reagents and services to two highly synergisticmarkets, these being Molecular Diagnostics and Biomedical Research. The company's strategy has been to identify high growth niche opportunitieswithin these multi-billion pound markets. Tepnel focuses on these opportunitieswith internally developed products, patents, expertise and know-how as well asstrategic acquisitions, to develop a leadership position within these definedmarket segments. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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