Oxford Biodyn Regulatory News (OBD)

15 January 2020

Oxford BioDynamics Plc

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

Oxford BioDynamics presents results of collaborative work demonstrating first proof of principle for EpiSwitch™ biomarkers in non-invasive diagnosis of canine lymphoma

·; Results of a study presented at the AACR Conference on Advances in Liquid Biopsies demonstrate the utility of EpiSwitch™ biomarkers for the diagnosis of canine lymphoma

·; Canine lymphoma accounts for 84% of blood cell malignancies and 24% of all tumours in dogs

Oxford BioDynamics Plc, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of biomarkers based on regulatory 3D genome architecture, for use within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, announces that a study focused on the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma in dogs has been presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on Advances in Liquid Biopsies, which is taking place in Miami, Florida, 13-16 January 2020.

On Tuesday 14 January, OBD presented a paper/poster at the conference entitled: "Development and validation of diagnostic biomarkers for B-cell lymphoma using EpiSwitch™ profiling of whole blood: from humans to canines". The study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Minnesota Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Animal Cancer Care and Research Program, College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center.

OBD utilised its proprietary datasets of markers specific for regulatory 3D genome architecture of lymphoma in humans, as determined using EpiSwitch™, to see if these could be translated from humans into dogs. OBD was able to generate a new biomarker signature using whole blood from a cohort of dogs with lymphoma and validate it on a second cohort. This biomarker signature was able to correctly identify dogs with and without lymphoma with 80% accuracy, 80% sensitivity, 80% specificity, 80% positive predictive value and 80% negative predictive value.

The results of this study indicate that EpiSwitch™ biomarkers can be successfully translated across species for related pathologies and conditions. This highlights the potential application of non-invasive EpiSwitch™ biomarkers in new therapeutic developments, including within the veterinary industry.

Alexandre Akoulitchev, Chief Scientific Officer of Oxford BioDynamics, said:

"Our EpiSwitch™ technology has provided us with a great wealth of data associated with lymphoma patients, and subsequently allowed us to translate these insights into canines, where there is a well-recognised unmet need. It is clear that the fundamentals of 3D genomics open up a new dimension for the application of EpiSwitch™, particularly in veterinary science and animal welfare.

Whilst as a Company we remain focused on human health, with the quality and benefits of EpiSwitch™ well recognised in immuno-oncology and neurodegenerative applications, this study demonstrates that there is a wider potential of our technology to ensure that the benefit of EpiSwitch™ is fully realised."

-ENDS-

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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.

In April 2019, Oxford BioDynamics received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation. The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious awards for UK businesses.

The Company 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.