MPM.L Regulatory News (MPM)

7 Sep 2006 07:00

Minster Pharmaceuticals PLC07 September 2006 For Immediate Release 7 September 2006 MINSTER PHARMACEUTICALS PLC ("Minster" or "the Company") GSK extends Minster's rights to tonabersat Minster Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: MPM), the drug development companyspecialising in neurological and psychiatric disorders, is pleased to announcethat GSK has extended Minster's development and commercialisation rights totonabersat, the Company's lead compound, to include additional indicationsincluding epilepsy, pain and other neurological conditions where currenttreatments are inadequate. These indications are additional to the preventionand treatment of migraine, for which Minster gained worldwide development andcommercialisation rights in 2001. Tonabersat is in an exciting new class of drugs known as gap junction blockers,which are the subject of considerable interest from clinicians andpharmaceutical researchers. Minster is currently undertaking two Phase IIclinical trials with tonabersat in the prevention of migraine. Tonabersat's mode of action is understood to be its ability to influence theinteractions between nerve cells and glial cells. Abnormalities in suchinteractions are increasingly thought to underlie many neurological conditions,hence giving tonabersat considerable potential utility. Paul Sharpe, Minster Pharmaceuticals' Chief Executive, said: "The acquisitionof these additional indications from GSK represents a major new opportunity forMinster. We believe tonabersat is a molecule with significant potential across arange of neurological indications because research suggests its site of actionis at the level of a basic cellular mechanism. Our current focus with tonabersatis on the prevention of migraine and it will take some time to define a strategyfor progressing the molecule into other indications." - ENDS - For further information: Minster Pharmaceuticals plc Tel: +44 (0) 1799 506623Paul Sharpe, Chief Executive OfficerRobert Aubrey, Chief Financial Officer Buchanan Communications Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000Mark CourtRebecca Skye Dietrich Notes for editors: About Minster Pharmaceuticals plc Minster Pharmaceuticals was co-founded in January 2001 by Paul Sharpe MD, aformer head of the Neuroscience Development Team at SmithKline Beecham, and byRobert Aubrey, who has extensive senior management experience. Minster, whichwas initially named BioPartners Ltd, was formed on the acquisition fromGlaxoSmithKline of the worldwide development rights of two compounds, tonabersatand sabcomeline, which have already benefited from substantial investment byGSK. Tonabersat is the most advanced compound in an exciting new class of drugscalled gap junction blockers, which have significant potential in the preventionof migraine. Sabcomeline, a muscarinic partial agonist, has potential in thetreatment of chronic schizophrenia. Both compounds benefit from comprehensivesafety tolerance data as a result of investment by GSK. Minster's core competence is in drug development. In addition to progressing thedevelopment of tonabersat and sabcomeline, the company has the capability totake on further compounds by acquisition or by in-licensing. Minster joined the AIM market in February 2005 and trades under the symbol MPM.For further information please visit www.minsterpharma.com. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange