SLN.L Regulatory News (SLN)

19 Nov 2007 07:02

Silence Therapeutics PLC19 November 2007 Silence Therapeutics plc ('Silence Therapeutics', 'the Group' or 'the Company') Silence Therapeutics to Present at the Lazard Capital Markets Fourth Annual Healthcare Conference London, 19 November 2007 - Silence Therapeutics plc (LSE:SLN), a leadingEuropean RNAi therapeutics company, announces that the company will bepresenting at the Lazard Capital Markets Fourth Annual Healthcare Conference, 27- 28 November, New York, NY, USA. The company's Chief Executive Officer, JeffVick, is scheduled to present at 10:30am on 28 November. A webcast of thepresentation will be available on http://www.wsw.com/webcast/lz4/sln.ln/. - Ends - Enquiries: Silence Therapeutics plc Investor Relations+44(0)20 3102 5130 Citigate Dewe RogersonJeff Vick, Chief Executive Officer +44(0)20 7638 9571Melvyn Davies, Finance Director David Dible Yvonne Alexander Notes to Editors Silence Therapeutics plc (www.silence-therapeutics.com) Silence Therapeutics plc (LSE:SLN) is a leading RNAi company. RNA interference(RNAi) can selectively 'silence' genes linked to the onset of disease. Silence Therapeutics has developed novel, proprietary short interfering RNA('siRNA') molecules, AtuRNAi, which provide a number of advantages overconventional siRNA molecules as they show increased stability against nucleasedegradation. In addition, the Company has developed a proprietary systemicdelivery system, AtuPLEX. This enables the delivery of siRNA molecules totargeted diseased tissues and cells, whilst increasing their bioavailability andintracellular uptake. In July 2007, Silence Therapeutics formed a research and developmentcollaboration with Astra Zeneca to develop AtuRNAi against five targetsincluding those in respiratory indications. The Group's AtuRNAi technology alsohas been sublicensed to Pfizer through Quark's license to Pfizer of the compoundRTP-801i-14 for the treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and anumber of other indications. This compound entered the clinic in early 2007.Silence Therapeutics also has licensed to Quark rights to the AtuRNAi structurefor it proprietary compound AKIi-5. This compound has been granted an IND foracute kidney injury and is expected to enter the clinic in 2007. In addition,Silence Therapeutics expects to begin the clinical development of itsproprietary AtuRNAi therapeutic molecules for systemic cancer indications in2008. Silence Therapeutics is based in London, UK, and Berlin, Germany, and is listedon AIM. About RNAi RNA interference (RNAi), a Nobel Prize winning technology, is one of the mostexciting areas of drug discovery today. It represents a completely new approachto selectively 'silence' or inactivate disease relevant genes and as such it hasthe potential to create a new class of therapeutic products. RNAi couldtherefore offer a therapeutic approach to a broad range of diseases (cancer,infectious diseases, inherited diseases), many of which have been regarded asincurable and are not addressed by current therapeutics, therefore providing alarge market opportunity. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange