MPM.L Regulatory News (MPM)

14 Sep 2009 07:00



RNS REACH

MINSTER PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

("Minster" or "the Company")

Tonabersat featured at International Headache Society Congress 

Minster Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: MPM), the drug development company specialising in neurological and psychiatric disorders, is pleased to announce that tonabersat, the Company's novel compound with potential in a number of neurological conditions, was featured at the 14th Congress of the International Headache Society (IHS), which was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 10-13th September 2009.

Prof Jes Olesen, the Director of the Danish Headache Centre, yesterday presented a paper entitled Tonabersat, Inhibitor of Cortical Spreading Depression, has Significant Preventive Effect in Migraine with Aura.

Prof Olesen was the principal investigator in Minster's Phase II study of tonabersat in migraine with aura. The positive results from the study were published in July this year in The Lancet Neurology, where it was concluded that auras are caused by cortical spreading depression (CSD).

Also at the IHS Congress, Dr Paul L Durham, an Associate Professor at Missouri State University, presented new mechanistic work in a poster entitled Tonabersat Repression of Proteins Involved in Peripheral and Central Sensitization in Response to Acute or Chronic Inflammation.

The poster focuses on research that found that tonabersat inhibits the expression of connexion 26 proteins, which facilitate signalling via gap junctions between trigeminal ganglion neurons and satellite glial cells in response to either acute or chronic inflammation. The poster concludes that tonabersat should be useful in preventing migraine attacks owing to its ability to block cellular events associated with peripheral and central sensitization.

John Russell, Minster Pharmaceuticals' Chairman, said: "We are delighted that the scientific and medical community shares our belief in the potential of tonabersat. We would like to thank Prof Olesen and Dr Durham for their work in advancing the understanding of the mechanism of action of the compound and in seeking to identify its potential therapeutic utility in the treatment of migraine."

For further information:

Notes for editors:

About Minster Pharmaceuticals plc

Minster Pharmaceuticals is a drug development company focussed on neurological and psychiatric disorders. Its principal pipeline assets are tonabersat and sabcomeline. Worldwide rights to both compounds were acquired from GlaxoSmithKline and the compounds benefit from comprehensive safety tolerance data as a result of investment by GSK.

Tonabersat is the leading compound in an exciting new class of selective drugs designated as neuronal gap junction blockers. Sabcomeline, a muscarinic partial agonist, has potential in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia and the strategy for its further clinical development is currently under consideration.

Minster joined the AIM market in February 2005 and trades under the symbol MPM. For further information please visit www.minsterpharma.com.