— Pre-clinical collaboration with Mayo Clinic on track —
Oxford, UK – 1 July 2013: Oxford BioMedica (“Oxford BioMedica” or “the Company”) (LSE: OXB), the leading gene-based biopharmaceutical company, today announces an update on Glaucoma-GT, a novel gene-based therapy for the treatment of uncontrolled chronic glaucoma. In collaboration with Mayo Clinic, Rochester (USA), Oxford BioMedica is conducting pre-clinical studies to establish the feasibility of treating glaucoma using its proprietary LentiVector® gene delivery technology expressing a COX-2 gene and a PGF-2α receptor gene in order to reduce intraocular pressure.
Over the past 18 months, Oxford BioMedica has successfully completed initial pre-clinical studies to demonstrate that the LentiVector® platform is both well-tolerated at high vector dose and transduces suitable target cells following transcorneal injection into the front of the eye. In January 2013, the Company decided to evaluate a more translational glaucoma model in order to maximise proof of concept data. Results from this new pre-clinical model have shown:
• Successful transduction of target cells following transcorneal delivery to the front of the eye
• Favourable safety profile at highest vector dose
• Long-term gene expression out to furthest time point studied (five months)
Oxford BioMedica now plans to initiate its first pre-clinical efficacy study which will evaluate, amongst other measures, the lowering of intraocular pressure. The Company continues to move Glaucoma-GT towards future clinical development, furthering its growing ophthalmology portfolio.
John Dawson, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford BioMedica, said: “Pre-clinical and clinical data in a variety of indications suggest that a single application of our LentiVector®platform products can provide sustained or permanent therapeutic activity. There remains a large unmet medical need in a significant proportion of the glaucoma patient population and, by providing long-term control of intraocular pressure, this approach could minimise the risk of disease progression.”
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