14 Oct 2011 07:00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grant of options
London, October 14, 2011 - Silence Therapeutics plc (AIM: SLN) ("Silence" or the "Company") a leading global RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics company, today announces that on 13 October 2011 the Company's Remuneration Committee granted options over 24,700,000 ordinary shares of 1p each ("Ordinary Share") to certain Directors and employees under the Company's share option arrangements.
The following grants of options were made:
Director/Senior Number of Options held % of issuedmanager Options Granted following share this capital notification Thomas 9,100,000 12,150,000 2.00Christ©ly, CEO Klaus Giese, CSO 7,300,000 10,750,000 1.77 Tony Sedgwick, 5,000,000 5,000,000 0.83CBO Max Herrmann, 3,300,000 5,000,000 0.83CFO
The options have an exercise price of 1.8p per share, being the mid-market price of the shares at the close of business on 12 October 2011. The options vest over a three year period and are exercisable prior to the tenth anniversary of the date of grant.
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For further information, please contact:
Silence Therapeutics Singer Capital Markets Thomas Christ©ly/Max Herrmann Shaun Dobson/Claes Sp¥ng +49 30 9489 2800/+44 20 7491 6520 +44 20 3205 7500 t.christely@silence-therapeutics.com shaun.dobson@singercm.com m.herrmann@silence-therapeutics.com claes.spang@singercm.com M:Communications (Europe) Vida Communication (US) Peter Laing / Emma Thompson Tim Brons (media)/Stephanie Diaz (investors) +44 20 7920 2345 / +44 20 7920 2342 +1 (415) 675-7400 healthcare@mcomgroup.com tbrons@vidacommunication.com sdiaz@vidacommunication.com Notes for editors
About Silence Therapeutics plc (www.silence-therapeutics.com)
Silence Therapeutics plc (AIM: SLN) is a leading biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery, development and delivery of targeted, systemic RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases. Silence offers one of the most comprehensive short interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic platforms available today based on a strong intellectual property portfolio and large clinical safety database. Silence's clinical siRNA product pipeline is one of the broadest in the industry. The Company possesses multiple proprietary siRNA delivery technology platforms including AtuPLEXâ„¢ and DACC. AtuPLEX enables the broad functional delivery of siRNA molecules to targeted diseased tissues and cells, while increasing their bioavailability and intracellular uptake. The DACC delivery system allows functional delivery of siRNA molecules selectively to the lung endothelium with a long duration of target mRNA and protein knock-down. Additionally, the Company has a platform of novel siRNA molecules based around its AtuRNAi chemical modification technology, which provides a number of advantages over conventional siRNA molecules. Silence's unique RNAi assets also include structural features for RNAi molecules and specific design rules for increased potency and reduced off-target effects of siRNA sequences.
The Company's lead internal drug candidate is Atu027, a liposomal formulation in clinical development for systemic cancer indications and one of the most clinically advanced RNAi therapeutic candidates in the area of oncology. Atu027 incorporates two of the Company's technologies, AtuRNAi and AtuPLEXâ„¢. Silence is currently conducting an open-label, single-centre, dose-escalation Phase I study with Atu027 in patients with advanced solid tumors involving single, as well as repeated, intravenous administration. Encouraging interim data were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in June 2011. The study is expected to be completed in the first half of 2012.
The Company's RNAi therapeutic platform has received key validation through multiple partnerships with pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca, Dainippon Sumitomo, Pfizer/Quark, and Novartis/Quark. Silence is actively pursuing the establishment of additional partnerships. Silence Therapeutics has operations in both Berlin and London.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Silence Therapeutics and Silence Therapeutics assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.
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