Last checked at 26 Oct 2009 07:00
Press release
Synairgen plc
('Synairgen' or the 'Company')
Investor Conference
Southampton, UK - 26 October 2009: Synairgen plc (LSE: SNG), the respiratory drug discovery and development company with a particular focus on viral defence in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ('COPD'), announces that it will be holding an investor conference on Thursday 12 November 2009. The conference will be hosted by Professor Stephen Holgate who will be discussing emerging therapies in asthma and COPD amongst other matters. The Company will also be announcing the safety and biomarker results of its Phase I study of inhaled interferon beta in asthmatic subjects (SG004).
The conference will take place at 10 am. If you are interested in attending, please contact Threadneedle Communications for details.
-Ends-
For further information, please contact:
Synairgen plc Tel: + 44 (0) 23 8051 2800
Richard Marsden, Chief Executive Officer
John Ward, Finance Director
Matrix Corporate Capital LLP Tel: + 44 (0) 20 3206 7000
Alastair Stratton
Anu Tayal
Threadneedle Communications Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7653 9850
Graham Herring
Josh Royston
Notes to editors
About Synairgen
Synairgen is a drug discovery and development company founded by Professors Stephen Holgate, Donna Davies and Ratko Djukanovic, focused on identifying and out-licensing new pharmaceutical products which address the underlying causes of asthma and COPD. Synairgen is listed on AIM (LSE: SNG).
Synairgen's researchers use advanced cell models incorporating human tissue and cells drawn from its biobank of clinical samples, which are obtained from well-characterised healthy control, asthma or COPD volunteers.
For more information about Synairgen please see www.synairgen.com.
Synairgen's interferon beta ('IFN-beta') programme
Synairgen is developing inhaled IFN-beta as a therapy to combat viral-induced asthma and COPD exacerbations.
Using in vitro human models, it was discovered that epithelial cells (cells which line the airways) from both subjects with asthma1 and COPD have significantly weaker anti-viral responses to the common cold virus than healthy control subjects. The addition of low levels of IFN-beta into the models restored anti-viral responses (simulating aerosolised IFN-beta therapy). This suggests that local delivery of IFN-beta to the lungs could limit the spread of virus to lungs in subjects with respiratory disease and the consequent worsening of their symptoms.
Synairgen has entered into a supply and licence agreement for a patent-protected formulation of IFN-beta from the Rentschler Group in Germany.
SG004
SG004, a placebo-controlled Phase I study in controlled asthmatics taking inhaled corticosteroids, used the Company's exclusively in-licensed Rentschler formulation of inhaled IFN-beta and was designed to establish its safety at four different dose levels over a 14 day period. In addition biomarker activity (see below) is being measured as an indicator of antiviral activity. The SG004 study has been conducted by Synairgen in Southampton and the Medicines Evaluation Unit in Manchester, both sites with renowned expertise in advanced respiratory trials. The first volunteer was entered into the study in July 2008 and the trial was completed in September 2009.
Biomarkers
Neopterin is a recognised IFN-beta biomarker and has been measured in blood during IFN-beta studies in multiple sclerosis. Synairgen has developed a technique for measuring neopterin in sputum, which reflects antiviral activity locally in the lung. Biomarker levels have been monitored in SG004 to confirm the biological activity of IFN-beta delivered to the lungs. Successful biomarker data will further support the original dosing rationale and help the Company set the dose for Phase II.
In June 2009, Synairgen raised £6 million to finance two Phase II proof of concept studies of inhaled IFN-beta in asthma and COPD.
In August 2009, the patent for inhaled IFN-beta to treat rhinovirus infections in asthma and COPD was granted in the USA. The patent forms part of a patent portfolio owned by the University of Southampton, which is exclusively licensed to Synairgen.
Asthma statistics
COPD statistics
Rhinovirus (common cold virus) and exacerbations (worsening of symptoms) of asthma and COPD
References