AMED Amedeo Res

RNS No 7847h
POWDERJECT PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
10th February 1998

     POWDERJECT AND CHIROSCIENCE RECEIVE IND APPROVAL FOR
     NEEDLELESS DELIVERY OF LIDOCAINE FOR LOCAL ANESTHESIA
                               
          U.S. Clinical Trials to Begin February 1998

Fremont, CA and Cambridge, UK, February 10 1998 -- PowderJect
Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE: PJP) and Chiroscience Group plc
(LSE: CRO) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approved an Investigational New Drug
(IND) application to commence clinical evaluation of the local
anesthetic lidocaine (lignocaine hydrochloride) administered
by Dermal PowderJect..  Dermal PowderJect is a hand-held,
needleless device which enables targeted, rapid and painless
delivery of dry powdered drugs and vaccines for a broad range
of applications.

The Phase I safety study, scheduled to begin in late February
1998, is designed to evaluate the effects of skin pigmentation
on the delivery of lidocaine with the Dermal PowderJect
System.  Approximately 20 subjects will be enrolled into the
study, which will assess tolerability and local anesthetic
effects following venepuncture (large bore puncture of a
vein).

In December 1997, PowderJect announced the results of a Phase
II trial in the UK with Dermal PowderJect lidocaine for the
treatment of pain associated with venepuncture, an important
indication for this product.  These results demonstrated the
effectiveness and fast onset of lidocaine delivered with the
Dermal PowderJect System.

"Initiating clinical studies in the U.S. with Dermal
PowderJect lidocaine, the lead product for our powder
injection technology, is a major milestone for PowderJect.  It
will lead to a corporate presence in the U.S. pain management
arena, a very important strategic goal for PowderJect,"
commented Dr. Paul R. Drayson, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of PowderJect Pharmaceuticals. "Pain control is an
important application for the PowderJect System which under
our collaboration with Chiroscience is making excellent
progress."

Dermal PowderJect lidocaine is being developed under an
exclusive joint development agreement between PowderJect
Pharmaceuticals and Chiroscicence Group plc, a UK-based
biopharmaceutical company, covering local anaesthetic
products.  The companies are also investigating the use of
CHIROCAINE (Chirosciences new local anaesthetic agent
levobupivacaine) in the PowderJect System for both dental
anesthesia and certain chronic pain conditions.

"We believe that a significant market opportunity exists for
lidocaine and Chirocaine delivered with the PowderJect
System," said Dr. John Padfield, Chief Executive Officer of
Chiroscience. "Its combined properties of painfree, needleless
administration and rapid onset of action have potential to
establish a substantial position in a rapidly expanding
market."

In 1996, the worldwide market for local anesthetics used in
hospitals was estimated to be $395 million. Approximately 40
million surgical procedures are performed each year using
local anesthesia. Lidocaine is a generic pharmaceutical agent,
first launched in 1946. It remains the worlds biggest selling
local anesthetic and is widely used in outpatient surgery and
dentistry.

The PowderJect. System delivers dry powdered formulations of
pharmaceutical agents painlessly and accurately into a variety
of accessible target tissues. The technique works by
acceleration of fine drug particles to supersonic speed within
a helium gas jet contained within a hand-held device. This
approach offers many advantages over needle-based and other
delivery methods, including improved patient comfort and
compliance, increased efficacy and low cost. PowderJect is
developing both disposable and reusable devices for dermal and
oral applications.

PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc is a U.S. and UK based
development-stage pharmaceutical company specializing in the
needleless powder injection of drugs, biopharmaceuticals,
vaccines and gene therapies. The Company has entered into
feasibility and product development agreements with five of
the worlds top 10 pharmaceutical companies and has signed
product development agreements with Chiroscience and
PharmaSciences.  PowderJect now has three approved INDs for
products currently undergoing clinical trials in the U.S.
PowderJects corporate partners are Oxford University and
British Oxygen Company. The Company floated on the London
Stock Exchange in June 1997, raising $57 million.  PowderJect
Pharmaceuticals has operations in Fremont, California,
Madison, Wisconsin and Oxford, UK.

Chiroscience Group is an emerging pharmaceutical company
operating in the UK and U.S., which uses its diverse
technology platform to discover and develop novel medicines
for improved healthcare. The Group has two principal
activities, operating as Darwin Discovery and ChiroTech.
Chiroscience is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Darwin Discovery embraces activities in Cambridge, Seattle and
Stevenage, including gene-based research and molecular
biology, through chiral-based, combinatorial, medicinal and
process chemistries, to clinical development. It is engaged in
the discovery and development of innovative small molecule
drugs and related diagnostics with a therapeutic focus on
autoimmune disease, cancer, inflammation, pain and
osteoporosis.

ChiroTech provides chiral technology services to customers
within the pharmaceutical and related industries and in
support of Darwin Discoverys research and development
programs.

Contacts:

Paul Drayson, Ph.D.          Zena Bates/Lisa Baderoon
Chairman & CEO               Buchanan Communications (UK Media)
PowderJect Pharmaceuticals   011 44 171 466 5000
(510) 742-9700
www.powderject.com           Mike Sinclair
                             Burns McClellan (US Media)
                             (415) 352-6262

END


MSCAKUBKWOKURAR

Grafico Azioni Amedeo Res (LSE:AMED)
Storico
Da Giu 2024 a Lug 2024

Grafico Azioni Amedeo Res (LSE:AMED)
Storico
Da Lug 2023 a Lug 2024