Re: News Flash! Arthritis drug breakthrough in Sydney! (out of PDF now)

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Embargoed until 5 PM February 8, 2006 (AEST)

*

Sydney scientists discover & license breakthrough anti-inflammatory

treatment

*

Scientists from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have developed what

could be

the next big blockbuster treatment for inflammatory diseases such as

rheumatoid arthritis

and asthma.

This discovery is being commercialised by G2 Therapies Ltd, a biotechnology

company

founded by Garvan, which today announced the signing of an AU$135 million

research,

development and licensing agreement with Danish healthcare company, Novo

Nordisk.

The terms of the agreement include an upfront payment and other

success-based

payments to a potential total of around US$100 million (A$135 million), plus

royalties on

commercialised therapeutics. The partnership will enable the new therapy to

be taken

through to human clinical trials.

Professor Mackay, Head of Garvan's Arthritis & Inflammation Program

and

founder of G2 Therapies, says: " We have done what many others have been

trying to do

for years. We have made a therapeutic antibody against one of the most

potent

inflammatory agents in the body and used it to cure arthritis in mice. The

next step is to

translate the highly effective outcome we see in mice to human patients. If

we can do this,

we will have a revolutionary new treatment for a number of important human

diseases " .

The body needs a certain amount of inflammation to protect itself against

disease. The

hallmarks of inflammation reflect the major events: swelling of localised

blood capillaries,

and the movement of fluid and immune cells into damaged tissue in an effort

to contain

infection.

When immune cells become overactive, as is the case with rheumatoid

arthritis, too many

of them move into damaged tissue and exacerbate the condition. The new

antibody

blocks the action of one of the most important molecules for guiding

inflammatory cells into

tissue.

" We anticipate that our antibody will be a significant improvement over

current therapies

because it acts at a different and earlier point in the inflammatory process

compared with

current anti-inflammatory therapies, " says Mackay.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) alone affects more than 21 million people

worldwide and causes

swelling of major joints, severe pain, and fatigue. In addition to treating

RA, Professor

Mackay believes their therapeutic could also be used for psoriasis, sepsis,

heart attack

and transplant patients.

Professor Shine FAA AO, Executive Director of the Garvan Institute

says: " It is

important to work with companies if we are to turn scientific discoveries

into real patient

benefits. The Garvan's commitment to taking our research from bench to

bedside is

evidenced by our investment in companies such as G2 and encouraging our

senior

scientists to participate in the commercialisation of research " .

The Novo Nordisk licensing agreement has a potential value of over US$100

million

(A$135 million), making it one of the largest licensing agreements ever

secured by an

Australian biotechnology company. Going forward, the Garvan Institute and G2

will

remain involved in the crucial stages of development, making the deal one of

the few true

partnerships between academia and industry.

Commenting on the deal, Mr Bill Ferris AO, Chairman of the Garvan

Institute's Board,

says: " This is an exciting example of what is possible when you back early

stage research

with venture capital and encourage discoveries to develop in-house.

Facilitating venture

capital investment in medical research will ensure that all Australians will

benefit from

home-grown medical advances like the new anti-inflammatory treatment that

has been

developed at the Garvan. "

-ENDS*NOTES

FOR EDITORS:

*

Garvan's Arthritis and Inflammation program is supported by the National

Health and Medical Research

Council (NHMRC).

G2's development and commercialisation activities were supported by two

Commonwealth programmes

administered by AusIndustry: Biotechnology Innovation Fund (BIF) and R & D

Start (now collectively replaced

by the Commercial Ready programme), as well as grants from NSW Department of

State and Regional

Development (Proof of Concept and Non-Research Establishment Cost grants).

The Garvan Institute of Medical Research has a long-standing relationship

with Novo Nordisk, principally in

diabetes research.

*

About Garvan

*

The Garvan Institute of Medical Research was founded in 1963 by the Sisters

of Charity. Initially a small

research department of St 's Hospital in Sydney, it is now one of

Australia's largest medical research

institutions with over three hundred scientists, students and support staff.

The Garvan Institute's main

research programs are: Arthritis & Immunology, Osteoporosis, Cancer,

Diabetes & Obesity, and

Neuroscience. www.garvan.org.au.

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About G2 Therapies

*

G2 Therapies is a biotechnology company founded in 2002 based on research

undertaken by two scientists

from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Professor Mackay and

Professor Rob Sutherland,

with the aim of developing and commercialising antibody based therapeutics

in inflammation and cancer. G2

is based at the Garvan Institute in Sydney, Australia, and conducts its

research through two operating

subsidiaries, G2 Inflammation P/L and G2 Cancer P/L. G2 Therapies is a

private company chaired by Dr

Schubert, and its major investors include AMWIN, Baron Nominees, and

the Garvan Institute of

Medical Research. For further information, visit www.g2therapies.com.au.

*

About Novo Nordisk

*

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care and

biopharmaceuticals. Novo

Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services that

make a significant difference

to patients, the medical profession and society. With headquarters in

Denmark, Novo Nordisk has more than

22,000 full-time employees in 79 countries, and markets its products in 179

countries. Novo Nordisk's B

shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs

are listed on the New York

Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. Novo Nordisk sales for 2005 were over

A$7.3 billion.

For more information, visit novonordisk.com.

On 2/7/06, Grant & Jo <joking70@...> wrote:

>

> Inflammatory diseases drug developed

>

> February 8, 2006 - 5:22PM

>

>

>

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Inflammatory-diseases-drug-developed/2006/02\

/08/1139379561112.html

>

> Australian scientists say they have developed a drug that may help prevent

>

> and reverse debilitating inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid

> arthritis.

>

> The new drug, developed by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in

> Sydney, also could help sufferers of multiple sclerosis (MS), asthma,

> sepsis, heart attack and psoriasis as well as transplant patients.

>

> Millions of people around the globe are affected by diseases including

> rheumatoid arthritis, a severe form of arthritis.

>

> The new drug, which has been trialled on mice with success, could ease

> pain

> and improve wellbeing for sufferers, the head of Garvan's Arthritis and

> Inflammation program, Mackay, said.

>

> Scientists have identified the mechanism by which a white blood cell

> enters

> a tissue, releasing toxic substances and causing damage in the joints.

>

> The drug, once injected, works within hours to completely return a

> diseased

> tissue back to a normal tissue.

>

> " The drug developed is highly effective at inhibiting disease in animals, "

>

> Professor Mackay said.

>

> " It not only completely prevents disease, but in animals that already have

>

> disease it completely reverses the disease process.

>

> " The turnaround ... is quite remarkable. "

>

> But he stopped short of describing the breakthrough as a cure.

>

> " Cure's a very strong word, " Prof Mackay said.

>

> " The disease does come back, as in many chronic inflammatory diseases. "

>

> Executive Director of the Garvan Institute Shine described the

> development as a " major milestone " .

>

> " It's another great example of the excellence of Australian medical

> research

> across the board ... , " Professor Shine said.

>

> The next step now is a clinical human trial.

>

> This is likely to be 18 months away and could take five to 10 years.

>

> © 2006 AAP

>

>

>

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> jra-australia/

>

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> http://pages.ebay.com.au/charity/

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>