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Cambridge , UK , 28th June 2006… CellCentric, the biotechnology company unlocking epigenetic control mechanisms, has made three senior appointments to strengthen its board and develop IP emerging from its research network.
In May 2006 CellCentric announced it had been awarded £1.15m by the DTI’s Technology Programme.
Dr Nessa Carey is CellCentric’s new Director of Research. She combines recent drug discovery experience with a strong academic background. As head of biology at TopoTargets, Dr Carey was one of the leaders of the development of PXD101, a cancer drug against an epigenetic target currently in Phase 2 trials in the US.
Dr Barrie Ward is appointed non-executive Chairman of CellCentric. As chief executive of KuDos Pharmaceuticals, Dr Ward nurtured the company from its inception through to its acquisition by Astra Zeneca for £130m in December 2005.
Dr Sue Foden becomes a non-executive director at CellCentric. Her distinguished track record includes Celltech, the Cancer Research Campaign (now Cancer Research UK) and venture capital experience.
CellCentric is focused on the commercial exploitation of epigenetics and the mechanisms that determine cell fate. The company’s strategy is to develop a broad portfolio of epigenetic-related IP generated through exclusive agreements with leading epigenetic researchers. It is forming partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to take this knowledge to market.
CellCentric chief executive officer, Dr Will West, said: “Nessa, Barrie and Sue complement the existing CellCentric team very well. Together we have the best chance of success in unlocking the therapeutic and commercial potential of epigenetics from our world class scientific base.”
Renowned technology entrepreneur, Dr Hermann Hauser of Amadeus Capital Partners, said: “CellCentric now has a team which combines the best scientists with solid management and a track record of turning research and technology into tangible and valuable assets. This is a group of people which can be expected to deliver in epigenetics, a field which is fundamental to the development of cell biology and therapeutic medicine.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
At CellCentric:
Will West
will.west@cellcentric.co.uk
Media Enquiries:
Jonathon Rees
Jonathon@proofcommunication.com
020 7101 9132
07989 975 077
Richard Moss
Richard@proofcommunication.com
020 7101 9133
07866 624 613
Further details of the new CellCentric team
Dr Nessa Carey
Dr Carey was Head of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology at biopharmaceutical company Vernalis from 2001 to 2004. She previously spent nine years as a researcher and senior lecturer at Imperial College School of Medicine.
She will be leading CellCentric’s research and development focused on the elucidation of the key elements of epigenetic control processes and the identification of proteins and small molecules that modify a cell’s epigenetic imprint.
Dr Barrie Ward
He is chairman of the US company Avant Immunotherapeutics Inc. and of Onyvax Ltd. He has a non-executive position on the Board of Biotica Ltd. Between 1984 and 1994, Barrie served as Director of the Microbiology Division of Glaxo Research and Development, with responsibility for infectious disease research.
Dr Sue Foden is a trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research and chairs its intellectual property sub-committee. She was previously Investment Director at Merlin BioSciences and is a member of the Wellcome Trust Technology Transfer Strategy Panel.
About CellCentric Ltd. www.cellcentric.co.uk
- CellCentric Ltd is a biotechnology company focused on the commercial exploitation of epigenetics and mechanisms that determine cell fate.
- The company was founded in May 2004 with initial funding from Avlar BioVentures and Providence Investment Trust. It received subsequent funding from The Rainbow Seed Fund, the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA).
- A grant of £1.15m from the DTI’s Technology Programme was announced in May 2006.
CellCentric’s research and licence agreements include:
- CellCentric is based on the world-leading research of Prof Azim Surani FRS at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge.
- CellCentric has a research and intellectual property pipeline agreement with the Babraham Institute, one of the largest concentrations of researchers in epigenetics.
- CellCentric recently initiated its first anti-cancer target validation and therapeutic development programme with Cancer Research Technology Ltd, the specialist oncology commercialisation and development company.
- CellCentric has a research programme with Prof Chris Boshoff at UCL, identifying novel epigenetic-related cancer targets, as well as collaborators in the US. The company is also generating tools for cell growth and bioprocessing applications.
Epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of the functional groups that sit on top of genes and their associated proteins. The pattern, or imprint, of these functional groups is responsible for a cell’s specific function and fate. It determines which genes are made accessible to the cell’s machinery for reading and translation into proteins. The field of epigenetics is expected to radically change traditional approaches to treating diseases, including cancer and degenerative conditions.
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