Proteome Regulatory News (PRM)

18 Apr 2007 08:30

Proteome Sciences Plc ("the Company")

18 April 2007

Onconome Inc. to Use ProteoSHOP‚® for Cancer Biomarkers

Proteome Sciences plc ("Proteome") is pleased to announce that it is to apply its ProteoSHOP‚® proteomics toolbox to analyse prostate and colon cancer materials provided by Seattle based Onconome Inc. ("Onconome").

Proteome has a strong track-record in the discovery and validation of cancer biomarkers and will apply its 2-dimensional gel western blotting technology to further characterise diagnostic antibodies developed by Onconome for the diagnosis and prognostic monitoring of patients with prostate and colon cancers. In addition Proteome will perform new biomarker discovery using Onconome's materials on its high-throughput 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis platform and using its patented isobaric Tandem Mass Tags‚® for gel-free analyses.

Under the terms of the collaboration Proteome will receive research funding for the provision of ProteoSHOP‚® services.

Commenting on the collaboration H. Raymond Cairncross, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Onconome Inc. said:

"As a company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of protein biomarkers for the early detection of prostate, colon and other types of cancers and life-threatening diseases, it is critical that we collaborate with companies highly skilled and experienced in the proteomics field. We feel we have found such a partner in Proteome Sciences and look forward to a mutually productive and profitable relationship."

Commenting on the collaboration Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive of Proteome Sciences said:

"We are pleased to announce this ProteoSHOP‚® deal building on the technological and commercial progress made in the last 12 months. Our unique combination of proteomics solutions for biomarker discovery and validation, linked to our considerable experience in oncology provides Onconome with access to the tools needed for further characterisation of their prostate and colon cancer biomarkers.

This collaboration reflects a growing need within the diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries for external sourcing of well characterised and validated protein biomarkers which ProteoSHOP‚® was designed to support. With a portfolio of well characterised biomarkers across a range of diseases and the patented technologies within ProteoSHOP‚® we are ideally placed to become the partner of choice for protein biomarker discovery projects."

EndsNotes to editors:Proteome Sciences plc

Proteome Sciences, a global leader in applied proteomics, uses high sensitivity proprietary technologies to detect differentially expressed proteins in diseases. The protein biomarkers discovered in body fluids or tissues are validated, developed and commercialised as diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic products through strategic alliances and out-licensing.

Through its unique ProteoSHOP‚® toolbox, Proteome Sciences provides high sensitivity/high throughput proteomics solutions, including traditional two dimensional gel-based electrophoresis (2DE) and proprietary gel-free protein sequence tag technologies (PST‚®, qPST¢â€ž¢& TMT‚®), to major pharma, biotechnology and diagnostic companies, to discover and exploit protein biomarkers. Sensitizer‚® chemical mass tags have been developed separately as a series of stand-alone reagents.

For further information please visit www.proteomics.com.

Proteome Sciences plc

Dr. Ian Pike, Business Development DirectorEmail: ian.pike@proteomics.comChristopher Pearce, Chief Executive OfficerEmail: christopher.pearce@proteomics.com

Tel: +44 (0)1932 865065

Onconome, Inc.

Onconome, Inc. (Seattle, WA) was incorporated in 2000 as a biomedical company committed to the discovery and commercialization of products for the early detection of prostate, colon, and other types of cancer and life-threatening human diseases. Through its licensing arrangements with both Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh, Onconome has obtained exclusive, worldwide rights to the use and development of numerous protein markers for the early diagnosis of cancer as well as for drug screening and in vivo imaging. Under a Contract Research Agreement, Onconome funds the discovery and development of these biomarkers at Johns Hopkins. University.

For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.onconome.com

Onconome, Inc.

Erick Rabins, Managing Director, Business Development Email: erabins@onconome.com

Ray Cairncross, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Email: rcairncross@onconome.com

Tel: 206-268-3500

Public Relations for Proteome Sciences

IKON Associates

Adrian Shaw Tel: +44 (0)1483 535102Mobile: +44 (0)797 9900733Email: adrian@ikonassociates.com