Cancer Research Consortium

17 Jan 2007 09:00

VASTox plc17 January 2007 VASTox plc ("VASTox" or "the Company") VASTOX JOINS EUROPEAN RESEARCH CONSORTIUM TO TARGET THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TREATMENTS FOR CANCER Research will focus on Cancer Stem Cells as target for new therapies Oxford, UK, 17 January 2007 - VASTox (AIM: VOX), a leading biotechnologycompany, today announced that it has become a partner in a new Europeanconsortium that will undertake research towards developing new treatments forcancer. The research programme, called Targeting Cancer Stem Cells for Therapy,will be backed by a €2 million grant from the European Commission under theSixth Framework Programme. VASTox will work in partnership with five leading research organisations fromacross Europe to develop treatments that target cancer stem cells (CSCs). Inrecent years, CSCs have been identified as being an important factor in cancerdue to their ability to both initiate and sustain tumour growth. However, thereis currently no specific treatment that targets CSCs. The consortium's researchwill aim to identify the CSCs that cause tumour growth, and thereby generate newdrug targets with the ultimate objective of developing new cancer therapies. The consortium will be coordinated by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory(EMBL) Unit in Italy and includes the University of Lund in Sweden, CancerResearch UK, the UK Medical Research Council, Oxford University and theUniversity of Copenhagen. Initial research will be focused on two types ofcancer: leukaemia and breast cancer. The grant is spread over three years andwill be split between the consortium members. VASTox's participation in this research programme will complement its existingdiscovery programmes in the areas of cancer and the potential use of stem cellsas regenerative medicines. VASTox's capabilities in these areas will be enhancedby being involved in this framework programme and will also place the Company atthe forefront of key research into this new and important area of cancerresearch. Steve Lee, PhD, CEO of VASTox commented: "For VASTox to be part of thisconsortium represents an exciting opportunity for the company to play a key rolein the early stages of discovery and development of novel cancer medicines. Theidentification and targeting of cancer stem cells allows for the excitingpossibility of being able to eradicate cancer from a patient, an outcome whichmany current therapies do not provide." About Cancer Stem Cells It was previously believed that most or all cancer cells possess the ability toself renew and replenish new cancer cells. In recent years, however, increasingevidence indicates that only a small fraction of tumour cells have the abilityto reconstitute a new tumour. Existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which arebelieved to have a role in initiating and sustaining tumour growth, was firstdocumented for leukaemia but has now been extended to include solid tumours,including breast cancer. The properties of these rare but important CSCs meanthey have immediate clinical implications. Studies indicate CSCs have highlevels of multi-drug resistance, which make them difficult to target withcurrent cytotoxic therapies, and they also appear to be less susceptible toimmunotherapy treatments. This in part is believed to be the reason why currenttreatment regimes fail and patients frequently suffer relapses. Despite theclear importance of CSCs in the perpetuation of cancers, currently very littleis understood about their biological and molecular nature properties, hencethere is the urgent need for high quality research to be undertaken if noveltherapies targeting CSCs are to be developed. - ends - For more information, please contact: VASToxSteven Lee, PhD, Chief Executive Officer Tel: +44 (0)1235 443910Darren Millington, Chief Financial Officer Citigate Dewe RogersonMark Swallow / David Dible / Valerie Auffray Tel: +44 (0)207 638 9571 About VASTox plc VASTox is a chemical genomics biotechnology company that discovers and developsproprietary novel drugs and provides services to the pharmaceutical industry.The company's most advanced drug development programme is focused on developinga new treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy based on the up-regulation ofutrophin. A second drug development programme for spinal muscular atrophy isalso progressing rapidly. VASTox has additional programmes focused onosteoarthritis, cancer, tuberculosis and stem cells, which are expected to beout-licensed prior to entering the clinic. The company's technology platform, which uses zebrafish and fruitflies, has thepotential to dramatically decrease the time and cost of drug discovery anddevelopment. This is because using whole organisms allows it to carry out highvolume, high content screening that delivers data which is highly predictive ofthe efficacy and toxicity of potential drug compounds in humans. VASTox isgrowing revenues based on marketing its unique technology platform and itschemistry expertise. The company listed on the AIM market of the London StockExchange in October 2004. Further information about the company is available at www.vastox.com. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange