Statement re Issuance of Patent
PROTEOME SCIENCES plc
PRESS RELEASE
Issuance of European Stroke Patent
15th January 2007. Proteome Sciences plc is pleased to announce that it has
received a notice of intention to grant (notice of allowance) of European
Patent Application Number 00979665.7 entitled "Diagnostic Assay for Stroke".
The claims of the patent relate to methods of diagnosing stroke by measuring
the levels of heart fatty acid binding protein and/or brain fatty acid binding
protein (FABP's), two of Proteome Sciences' proprietary biomarkers discovered
in the blood of stroke patients.
The presence of FABP's in the blood of patients suffering from stroke was
discovered by scientists at the University of Geneva in collaboration with
Proteome Sciences. The two parties have subsequently worked together to
validate their utility for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of stroke.
This has additionally resulted in the discovery of further protein biomarkers,
all of which are subject to patent applications in the major patent
jurisdictions including the US, Europe and the Far East, from which
combinations of stroke markers will be used to make panels for the diagnosis
and prognosis of stroke in blood.
Proteome Sciences has previously announced four licensing agreements relating
to its portfolio of stroke biomarkers. Its licensees continue to undertake
their respective development programmes and the company looks forward to
further progress with both existing and future licensees in 2007.
Commenting on the issuance Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive of Proteome
Sciences said:
"The allowance of the European patent following issuance of the related US case
on some of our earliest biomarkers is further validation of the patentability
of proteomics biomarkers in the second largest economic market and underpins
the value and importance of our extensive intellectual property portfolio in
protein biomarkers.
We anticipate the issuance of further patents relating to the FABP's in other
territories and that our pending applications for the other stroke biomarkers
will proceed to grant.
Issued European and US patents relating to our stroke biomarkers will enhance
the continuing licensing process and we expect that further of the major global
players in clinical diagnostics will now want to include and develop our
biomarkers as in vitro diagnostic tests."
Ends
Notes to editors:
Proteome Sciences plc
Proteome Sciences, a global leader in applied proteomics, uses high sensitivity
proprietary technologies to detect differentially expressed proteins in
diseases. The protein biomarkers discovered in body fluids or tissues are
validated, developed and commercialised as diagnostic, prognostic or
therapeutic products through strategic alliances and out-licensing.
Through its unique ProteoSHOP® toolbox, Proteome Sciences provides high
sensitivity/high throughput proteomics solutions, including traditional two
dimensional gel-based electrophoresis (2DE) and proprietary gel-free protein
sequence tag technologies (PST®, qPST™& TMT®), to major pharma, biotechnology
and diagnostic companies, to discover and exploit protein biomarkers.
Sensitizer® chemical mass tags have been developed separately as a series of
stand-alone reagents.
For further information please visit www.proteomics.com .
Enquiries:
Proteome Sciences plc
Dr. Ian Pike, Business Development Director
Email: ian.pike@proteomics.com
Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive Officer
Email: christopher.pearce@proteomics.com
Tel: +44 (0)1932 865065
Public Relations for Proteome Sciences
IKON Associates
Adrian Shaw
Tel: +44 (0)1483 535102
Mobile: +44 (0)797 9900733
Email: adrian@ikonassociates.com