Oxford Biodyn Regulatory News (OBD)

29 January 2018

Oxford BioDynamics Plc

("OBD" or the "Company" and, together with its subsidiaries, the "Group")

Oxford BioDynamics signs collaboration agreement with Holos to develop biomarkers for sports-related concussions

Oxford BioDynamics Plc (AIM: OBD), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of epigenetic biomarkers based on regulatory genome architecture, for use within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, announces that it has entered into a collaboration with Holos Life Sciences Pte. Ltd ("Holos") to develop non-invasive epigenetic biomarkers associated with sports-related concussions.

The collaboration will leverage OBD's EpiSwitch™ platform to help determine and monitor systemic epigenetic changes and potential physiological reprogramming due to sports-related concussion. Based on pre- and post-concussion monitoring, biomarkers will be identified and evaluated to assist in the determination of changes in an individual's epigenetic profiles, in response to a concussive event. EpiSwitch™ stratification will provide new insights and help to quantify the risk of prolonged effects of sports-related concussion, and potentially improve recovery and rehabilitation.

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Holos will supply the participants' blood samples, with OBD providing its proprietary EpiSwitch™ platform and methodology for the development, evaluation, and validation of epigenetic biomarkers. Biomarker readouts will be based on minimally invasive blood testing.

The analysis aims to identify a signature of EpiSwitch™ biomarkers to evaluate the impact of sports-related concussive events on individuals. Informative EpiSwitch™ biomarkers potentially could be monitored in relation to concussive events to inform return-to-play protocols and determine when athletes can resume activities.

Christian Hoyer Millar, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford BioDynamics, said:

"We are delighted to be working with Holos on a new front for the EpiSwitch™ biomarker platform. Based on our previous studies and stratification results, we believe that we can make an important contribution to the analysis of sport-related concussions, help improve the rehabilitation protocols and directly assist individual athletes and their teams in their training planning."

Scott Callender, Chief Executive Officer of Holos, said:

"We are excited to be working with OBD and their EpiSwitch™ platform to further the understanding of both the immediate and long-term impact that sports-related concussions have on athletes. The ability to identify objective epigenetic biomarkers has the potential to help evaluate sports-related concussions and may provide us with a tool to measure any long-term impact they have on individuals."

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Notes for Editors

About Oxford BioDynamics Plc

Oxford BioDynamics Plc (AIM: OBD) ("Oxford BioDynamics") is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of epigenetic biomarkers for use within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. 

The Company's award-winning, proprietary technology platform, EpiSwitch™, aims to accelerate the drug discovery and development process, improve the success rate of therapeutic product development and take advantage of the increasing importance of personalised medicine. 

In particular, EpiSwitch™ can reduce time to market, failure rates and the costs at every stage of drug discovery. Additionally, the technology provides significant insights into disease mechanisms for drug discovery and product re‐positioning programmes, and enables the personalisation of therapeutics for patients in the context of challenging pricing environments where improved clinical outcomes are critical.

Oxford BioDynamics is headquartered in the UK, and listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM under the ticker "OBD". For more information please visit www.oxfordbiodynamics.com.

About Holos Life Sciences

Holos Life Sciences is a life sciences company dedicated to exploring the limits of biological and physiological performance, with a focus on training optimisation and injury prevention for athletes and the general public.

Holos is headquartered in Singapore.