Ixico Regulatory News (IXI)

5 Jun 2007 07:02

Phytopharm PLC05 June 2007 Company Contact: U.K. Investor Relations Contact:Phytopharm plc FDDr Daryl Rees CEO David YatesMr Piers Morgan CFO Ben Atwell+44 1480 437 697 +44 207 831 3113www.phytopharm.com Cogane(TM) data presented at '11th International Congress of Parkinson's Diseaseand Movement Disorders' GODMANCHESTER, Cambridgeshire, U.K. (5 June 2007) - Phytopharm plc (LSE: PYM) ("Phytopharm" or the "Company") announces today pre-clinical data showing thatCogane(TM) reverses the changes in the area of the brain involved in Parkinson'sdisease. This data will be presented by Dr Jonathan Brotchie, aninternationally recognised expert on Parkinson's disease at 'The 11thInternational Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders' 5 June inIstanbul, Turkey and published in The Movement Disorders Society's journal*. Cogane(TM) reverses the changes in area of the brain involved in Parkinson'sdisease by inducing the production of neurotrophic factors. These growthfactors promote the growth and connectivity of neurones and reverse the atrophyof this area of the brain. This latest study was partly funded by The CureParkinson's Trust. Commenting, Tom Isaacs, co-founder of The Cure Parkinson's Trust said: "Cogane's ability to induce a person's own neurotrophic activity offers a veryreal prospect of a better treatment for Parkinson's disease. As a patient ledorganisation, The Cure Parkinson's Trust is very excited about the potential ofthis product to completely restore motor function to those with the condition.We are delighted our targeted fund allocation in this area of research has beendirectly involved in these latest findings." Commenting, Dr Daryl Rees, Chief Executive Officer of Phytopharm, said: "Thereis an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches to Parkinson's disease.Pre-clinical studies with Cogane(TM), an orally bioavailable neurotrophic factorinducer, have been highly encouraging in reversing the changes in the area ofthe brain involved in Parkinson's disease, providing hope that Cogane(TM) couldrestore normal control of movement." -Ends- Notes to Editors Phytopharm plc Phytopharm is a pharmaceutical development and functional food company whoseproduct leads are generated from medicinal plants. The Company's strategy is todevelop these products through 'proof of principle' clinical testing, and thensecure partners for late stage development, sales and marketing. Laboratory,manufacturing and clinical work is outsourced to selected specialists, operatingunder expert in-house management. This operational structure allows access tothe best external research facilities whilst maintaining low fixed overheads anda lower development cost structure. Cogane(TM) Cogane(TM) (PYM50028) is a novel non-peptide, orally bioavailable neurotrophicfactor inducer that readily crosses the blood brain barrier. In pre-clinicalstudies, Cogane(TM) stimulates the release of neuronal growth factors, increasesneurite outgrowth and protects against neuronal degeneration. Importantly,Cogane(TM) also reverses the decrease of neuronal growth factors and reversesdopaminergic neuronal degeneration observed in vitro. When administered orallyto pre-clinical models of Parkinson's disease, Cogane(TM) reverses the loss ofdopaminergic neurones. *Movement Disorders (2007) Vol 22 (Suppl 16): page S18, abstract number 58. Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder characterised by muscle rigidity,tremor, a slowing of physical movement (bradykinesia) and, in extreme cases, aloss of physical movement (akinesia). The primary symptoms are the result ofaltered signaling of an area of the brain, the striatum, responsible for thecontrol of movement. This is caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neuronesbetween the striatum and the substantia nigra part of the brain leading toinsufficient formation and action of dopamine. Parkinson's disease is thereforetermed a neurodegenerative disease. The disease is slow in onset and theappearance of symptoms reflects the gradual loss of dopaminergic neurones. The prevalence of the disease is estimated to be 100 to 200 per 100,000population (Source: Datamonitor). In the US alone, there are estimated to beone million patients with diagnosed Parkinson's disease with associatedhealthcare costs to the economy of $25 billion (Source: Northwest Parkinson'sFoundation submission to US Congress). Parkinson's disease can affect people ofany age, though the incidence is higher in older people. Individuals willexperience varying combinations of the symptoms, each with differing degrees ofseverity. The cause of Parkinson's disease in the majority of cases is unknown(idiopathic Parkinson's disease), though some cases have been found to have ahereditary component (familial Parkinson's disease) and possible mechanismsinclude oxidative damage of nerve cells coupled with loss of neurotrophicfactors. Neurotrophic factors are essential for the survival and maintenance ofnerve cells and provide protection against toxic insults, however as proteins,their utility as pharmacological treatments are limited (Source: The CureParkinson's Trust). At present, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, but a variety ofmedications provide relief from the symptoms, usually by dopamine replacementtherapy either by L-DOPA, which is converted to dopamine in the striatum, or bydopamine agonists which act on the dopamine receptors to restore normal motorfunction (control of movement). However, both treatments cause either lessendogenous dopamine to be released or the dopamine receptors to becomeprogressively less sensitive, thereby eventually increasing the symptoms. Thereis an urgent need for the development of new approaches to this debilitatingcondition and non-peptide orally bioavailable neurotrophic factor inducers thatreadily cross the blood brain barrier represent an important therapeuticapproach. For further information about Phytopharm please see our website at http://www.phytopharm.com Dr Jonathan Brotchie Dr Jonathan Brotchie is Senior Scientist at the Toronto Western Hospital, partof the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, Canada. He is also theFounder and Chief Executive Officer of Atuka Ltd., a contract research andconsultancy services company for the development of novel therapeutics anddiagnostics for Parkinson's disease. Jonathan is a renowned scientist in thefield of Parkinson's disease and, at UHN runs one of the world's premierresearch laboratories for the identification of novel treatments, diagnosticsand cures for Parkinson's and related disorders. In the last decade, he haspublished many influential scientific papers in the field of Parkinson's diseaseand related disorders. His research has been particularly associated withpioneering the concept of non-dopaminergic treatments for Parkinson's disease. Jonathan is also Scientific Director of the Cure Parkinson's Trust, a charitysupporting research aimed at delivering better treatments and cures for PD. The Cure Parkinson's Trust The Cure Parkinson's Trust supported by Movers & Shakers was co-founded by fourindividuals with Parkinson's who are determined to do everything in their powerto help find a cure for this debilitating neurological disease. They are formerLord Mayor of London, Sir Richard Nichols, David Jones CBE, former chairman ofNext Plc, Michael Hughes and Tom Isaacs. Parkinson's disease can affect anyone at any time. It does not discriminate byage, sex or nationality. One in every 500 people, contracts Parkinson's, withone in every 20 of those diagnosed each year being under the age of 40 years. Acure for Parkinson's disease is within reach. The Cure Parkinson's Trust has been funding a variety of research projectsglobally. For further details see: www.cureparkinsons.org.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange