SLN.L Regulatory News (SLN)

6 May 2008 09:00

Silence Therapeutics PLC06 May 2008 Silence Therapeutics to Present at Rodman and Renshaw's 5th Annual Global Healthcare Conference London - 6 May 2008 - Silence Therapeutics plc (AIM: SLN), a leading EuropeanRNA interference (RNAi) focused biotechnology company, today announced that CEOJeff Vick, will present a corporate overview at Rodman and Renshaw's 5th AnnualGlobal Healthcare Conference. The conference takes place May 19 - 20, 2008 at LeMeridien Beach Plaza Hotel at the Sea Club in Monte Carlo, Monaco. During his presentation, Mr. Vick will provide updates on Silence's twopartnerships with AstraZeneca. Silence's first AstraZeneca partnership is inRNAi therapeutic discovery and development, and the second is in the developmentof a range of novel approaches for the delivery of siRNA molecules. Mr. Vick'spresentation will also feature the Company's AtuRNAi(R) therapeutic developmentprogrammes, including Atu027, an AtuRNAi clinical candidate in development forcancer, as well as AtuPLEX(R), Silence's proprietary, functional liposomalsystemic drug delivery system. Functional systemic delivery is widely believedto be a critical component in realising the exciting potential of RNAitherapeutics to treat a broad range of diseases, and based on preclinicalresults, AtuPLEX is expected to be an important systemic siRNA deliverytechnology. Mr. Vick's presentation will take place on Tuesday, May 20, at 2:00 p.m. CET inthe Atlantique Salon-Western (second floor) and he will be available forone-on-one meetings during the conference. His presentation will be webcast andavailable live and for replay at http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rrshq13/sln.ln. Formore information, please visit http://www.rodmanandrenshaw.com/conferences?id=18 Enquiries: For further information, please contact the following: Silence Therapeutics plc European Contacts:+44(0)20 7307 1620 Citigate Dewe RogersonJeff Vick, Chief Executive Officer +44(0)20 7638 9571Melvyn Davies, Finance Director & Company Secretary David Dible Emma Palmer Heather Keohane U.S. Contacts: LaVoie Group +1 - 978.745.4200 Bryan Murphy x 105 Tim Allison x 102 Notes to Editors: About Silence Therapeutics plc (www.silence-therapeutics.com) Silence Therapeutics plc (AIM: SLN) is a leading European RNAi focusedbiotechnology company. RNAi can selectively 'silence' genes linked to the onsetof disease. RNAi is a Nobel Prize winning technology and one of the mostpromising areas of drug discovery and development today. Silence Therapeutics has developed a platform of novel short interfering RNA('siRNA') molecules, AtuRNAi, which provide a number of advantages overconventional siRNA molecules, including increased stability against nucleasedegradation. In addition, the Company has developed a proprietary systemicdelivery system, AtuPLEX. This system enables the functional delivery of siRNAmolecules to targeted diseased tissues and cells, while increasing theirbioavailability and intracellular uptake. Silence's lead internal product, Atu027, is a proprietary AtuRNAi molecule inpreclinical development for systemic cancer indications. Atu027 hassuccessfully completed single and repeat dose toxicology and geno-toxicologystudies, as well as a 28-day toxicology study using multiple dosing regimens.Silence plans a regulatory filing in 2008 to commence clinical trials forAtu027. In March of 2008 Silence Therapeutics announced a collaboration with AstraZeneca(LSE: AZN) focused on the development of a range of novel delivery approachesfor siRNA molecules. Under the terms of the agreement both Silence Therapeuticsand AstraZeneca will be allowed to commercialize the truly novel deliverysystems that the two partners develop together. In July 2007, Silence Therapeutics formed its first research and developmentcollaboration with AstraZeneca to develop novel AtuRNAi therapeutics againstfive specific targets, including those in respiratory indications. Thiscollaboration was the first industry validation of the potential application ofSilence Therapeutics' proprietary AtuRNAi molecules and solidified the Company'sleadership position in field of RNAi therapeutics. The Company's AtuRNAi technology also has been sublicensed to Pfizer throughQuark's license to Pfizer of the compound RTP-801i-14, for the treatment ofage-related macular degeneration (AMD), and a number of other indications. Thiscompound entered the clinic in early 2007. Silence Therapeutics also haslicensed to Quark rights to the AtuRNAi structure for its proprietary compound,AKIi-5. This compound is in a Phase I human clinical study for treatment ofacute kidney injury. Silence Therapeutics is based in London, UK, and Berlin, Germany, and is listedon AIM. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange