CellCiphr(TM) Toxicity Panels Revalidated by Cyprotex

MACCLESFIELD, England, December 7, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cyprotex (LSE:CRX), the preclinical ADME Tox services company, announces the successful cross validation of the CellCiphr(TM) cytotoxicity panels and their official relaunch as a Cyprotex service. These panels detect toxicological markers in a range of cell models (HepG2, primary hepatocytes, and cardiomyocytes). This cross validation follows the acquisition of the CellCiphr(TM) technology from Cellumen, Inc., in August 2010 and its transfer from Cellumen's laboratory to Cyprotex's laboratories.

Cyprotex achieved the cross validation by assessing marketed drugs with known toxicities, and through the participation of a major pharmaceutical company that was an existing client of both Cyprotex and of Cellumen.

Confirming the success of the cross validation, this client has resumed using CellCiphr(TM) to identify potential toxicities in its pipeline of drug candidates. In addition, three other clients have also resumed using CellCiphr(TM). These include two major pharmaceutical companies and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where CellCiphr(TM) has been selected for Phase II participation in the ToxCast(TM) programme. In addition, a fifth, new client has completed its first CellCiphr(TM) study.

The CellCiphr(TM) technology Cyprotex acquired from Cellumen applies High Content Screening (HCS) technology to cellular models of disease and toxicity. The technology uses a proprietary advanced informatics and data interpretation platform to assess cytotoxicity to improve prediction of in vivo toxicity. The CellCiphr(TM) technology is an extensively validated approach that was co-developed with the participation of eight external pharmaceutical and government partners. The CellCiphr(TM) toxicity profiling panels can reliably identify toxic compounds before entering further preclinical testing.

Drug development failures due to toxicity are a major financial burden to the pharmaceutical industry. These failures are increasingly occurring both in costly late-stage development and, worse, after commercialisation. Identifying potential toxic liabilities at an early stage significantly reduces both the cost of drug development and the need for animal testing.

Commenting on the CellCiphr(TM) technology, Dr Katya Tsaioun, Cyprotex's Chief Scientific Officer, said: 'Cyprotex's CellCiphr(TM) technology has been validated by major pharmaceutical companies and selected for use in the EPA's ToxCast(TM), programme as one of the core technologies in the National Toxicology Program. Our re-validation of this technology is a major milestone in Cyprotex's entry into the in vitro toxicology market that began in August with the acquisition of Apredica in the US, followed by the opening of our new UK toxicology laboratory'.

Dr. Tony Baxter, Cyprotex's Chief Executive Officer, commented: 'Approximately 25% of all spending on drug development is spent on the clinical trials of drugs that fail in those trials due to toxicity. This cost is now the largest source of economic inefficiency in drug development. Looking back, in 1995, 40% of clinical trial failures were due to ADME. But since the adoption of preclinical in vitro ADME, that figure is now below 10%. Cyprotex is at the forefront of applying in vitro technologies to the drug safety problem. Just as Cyprotex's in silico and in vitro ADME services were at the forefront of reducing inefficiencies due to ADME, the Company is now at the forefront of applying the same technologies to the growing problem of toxicity'.

Notes to Editors:

Cyprotex PLC

Cyprotex is the world's largest contract research organisation (CRO) specialising in ADME Tox, which is the analysis of the Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity properties of potential drugs, cosmetics, and agrochemicals. It is the only company in the world with in-house capabilities for both in vitro (test tube) and in silico (computer modelling) ADME Tox. Cyprotex was founded in 1999 and listed on the AIM in 2002. It has laboratories in Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK (near Manchester), and Watertown, Massachusetts, USA (near Boston), making it one of only three ADME Tox CROs with international operations.

    http://www.cyprotex.com

    Enquiries:

    Cyprotex PLC                                   Tel: +44(0)1625-505-100

    Dr Anthony Baxter, Chief Executive Officer
    John Dootson, Chief Financial Officer
    Mark Warburton, Chief Operating Officer and
    Legal Counsel
    [email protected]                                http://www.cyprotex.com

    Singer Capital Markets Limited                 Tel: +44(0)20-3205-7500
    (broker to Cyprotex)
    Shaun Dobson    [email protected]
    Claes Spang     [email protected]       http://www.singercm.com

    Financial Dynamics                             Tel: +44(0)20-7831-3113

    Ben Brewerton
    Ben Atwell
    Mo Noonan
    [email protected]                                http://www.fd.com

SOURCE Cyprotex PLC