FROM: AFX News Limited
June 5, 2007
HEADLINE: Phytopharm PLC - Research Update
Cogane data presented at '11th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease
and Movement Disorders'
GODMANCHESTER, Cambridgeshire, U.K. (5 June 2007) - Phytopharm plc (LSE: PYM)
('Phytopharm' or the 'Company') announces today pre-clinical data showing that
Cogane(TM) reverses the changes in the area of the brain involved in Parkinson's
disease. This data will be presented by Dr Jonathan Brotchie, an
internationally recognised expert on Parkinson's disease at 'The 11th
International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders' 5 June in
Istanbul, Turkey and published in The Movement Disorders Society's journal*.
Cogane(TM) reverses the changes in area of the brain involved in Parkinson's
disease by inducing the production of neurotrophic factors. These growth
factors promote the growth and connectivity of neurones and reverse the atrophy
of this area of the brain. This latest study was partly funded by The Cure
Parkinson's Trust.
Commenting, Tom Isaacs, co-founder of The Cure Parkinson's Trust said:
'Cogane's ability to induce a person's own neurotrophic activity offers a very
real prospect of a better treatment for Parkinson's disease. As a patient led
organisation, The Cure Parkinson's Trust is very excited about the potential of
this product to completely restore motor function to those with the condition.
We are delighted our targeted fund allocation in this area of research has been
directly involved in these latest findings.'
Commenting, Dr Daryl Rees, Chief Executive Officer of Phytopharm, said: 'There
is an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches to Parkinson's disease.
Pre-clinical studies with Cogane(TM), an orally bioavailable neurotrophic factor
inducer, have been highly encouraging in reversing the changes in the area of
the brain involved in Parkinson's disease, providing hope that Cogane(TM) could
restore normal control of movement.'
-Ends-
Phytopharm is a pharmaceutical development and functional food company whose
product leads are generated from medicinal plants. The Company's strategy is to
develop these products through 'proof of principle' clinical testing, and then
secure partners for late stage development, sales and marketing. Laboratory,
manufacturing and clinical work is outsourced to selected specialists, operating
under expert in-house management. This operational structure allows access to
the best external research facilities whilst maintaining low fixed overheads and
a lower development cost structure.
Cogane(TM) (PYM50028) is a novel non-peptide, orally bioavailable neurotrophic
factor inducer that readily crosses the blood brain barrier. In pre-clinical
studies, Cogane(TM) stimulates the release of neuronal growth factors, increases
neurite outgrowth and protects against neuronal degeneration. Importantly,
Cogane(TM) also reverses the decrease of neuronal growth factors and reverses
dopaminergic neuronal degeneration observed in vitro. When administered orally
to pre-clinical models of Parkinson's disease, Cogane(TM) reverses the loss of
dopaminergic neurones.
*Movement Disorders (2007) Vol 22 (Suppl 16): page S18, abstract number 58.
For further information about Phytopharm please see our website at
http://www.phytopharm.com
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