Proteome Regulatory News (PRM)

Proteome Sciences plc

"DENAMIC" €6.9m EU Framework 7 Grant Award to investigate effects of

pollutants on development of children

28 June 2011  Proteome Sciences plc ("Proteome Sciences") announces that it is a participant in a new project, that has been awarded a €6.99m EU Framework 7 Grant over the next two years to study the effects of environmental contamination in health and developmental disorders in children. Proteome Sciences will receive €530,058 for its contribution to the project. 

The main aim of the "DENAMIC" project is to develop tools and methods to monitor neurotoxic effects of environmental pollutants that may cause adverse effects on cognitive skills and developmental disorders in children (including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism and anxiety disorders).

Proteome Sciences will investigate the effects of neurotoxic chemicals on proteins, peptides and biochemical pathways in cell models and tissue to generate a database of protein biomarkers associated with chemical exposure. The study will be undertaken with mass spectrometry using TMT® labelled peptides and from which biomarker assays will be developed. This approach enables validation of protein biomarkers with relatively high throughput, avoiding the need of immunoassay development, and having the advantages of being able to verify biomarkers when antibodies are unavailable.

Commenting on the DENAMIC Grant award Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive of Proteome Sciences said:

"Following on from Proteome Sciences' highly successful Sens-it-iv EU Framework 6 award, www.sens-it-iv.eu, we are extending our biomarker research in environmental pollutants through the new DENAMIC programme. This will address the effects on cognitive skills and developmental disorders in children and should allow us to generate a range of novel diagnostic biomarker assays to help to manage these debilitating diseases through early diagnosis and to assist in the development of new treatments. We have excellent partners in the DENAMIC consortium and we look forward to a highly productive programme."

Ends

For further information please contact:

Notes to Editors:

About Proteome Sciences

Proteome Sciences is a global leader in applied proteomics and peptidomics offering high sensitivity, proprietary technologies for protein and peptide biomarker discovery, validation and assay development.

Its PS Biomarker Services™ uses isobaric and isotopic Tandem Mass Tag® (TMT®) workflows developed on the latest Orbitrap Velos and TSQ Vantage mass spectrometers to deliver rapid, robust and reproducible biomarker assay development for customers in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology sectors. Services are provided from its ISO 9001: 2008 accredited facilities in Frankfurt, Germany. By combining Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) and TMT workflows highly multiplexed assays can be developed rapidly and are suitable for screening hundreds of candidate biomarkers in larger validation studies and can be transferred for immunoassay development. The Company's own research has discovered a large number of novel protein biomarkers in key human diseases and is focused mainly in neurological/neurodegenerative conditions and in cancer. It has discovered and patented blood biomarkers, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, brain damage and lung cancer for diagnostic and treatment applications that are available for license or are already outlicensed. Proteome Sciences, based in Cobham, UK, with facilities in London and Frankfurt, delivers outsourced proteomics services and proprietary biomarkers/biomarker assays to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics companies.

Visit: http://www.proteomics.com.