ASX/MEDIA
RELEASE
6th
September 2005
Collaboration
with Cirrus Pharmaceuticals
Development
of specific reformulated drug products utilizing BioSiliconTM
Global
nanotechnology company pSivida Limited (ASX:PSD,
NASDAQ:PSDV, Xetra:PSI)
is
pleased to announce that it has signed a contract with US based Cirrus
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to accelerate
and expand development of a number of specific drug candidates formulated
in
BioSiliconTM
to
expand
a BioSilicon product pipeline of reformulated drugs.
The
development contract will have an initial extendable term of one year and
provide a dedicated team of scientists from Cirrus
Pharmaceuticals.
The
relationship has been established to generate new products based on
reformulating existing specific generic and proprietary drugs and their delivery
utilizing BioSiliconTM.
To the
extent that such new reformulations or delivery demonstrate improved efficacy,
safety and/or compliance as compared to the original product, then pSivida
will
be able to claim patent protection on its new products. All intellectual
property developed through this collaboration relating to BioSiliconTM
will be
wholly owned by pSivida.
Cirrus
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an independent R&D organization based in Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina. Since
its
incorporation in 1997, Cirrus has expanded its capabilities to include many
aspects of drug development, providing timely research and project development
support to the pharmaceutical industry, and in particular, the
development of pharmaceutical dosage form design.
pSivida
has now appointed Dr Paul Bulpitt as Pharmaceutical Development Manager as
a key
internal resource to support this technical programme. Dr
Bulpitt received his phD from the University Of Wisconsin in the area of
drug
delivery and has undertaken senior scientific and development positions in
the
US and UK biotech industry most recently with NuPharm Laboratories.
Dr
Bulpitt strengthens our internal expertise in drug delivery with his strong
academic background in pharmaceutical sciences and industry experience both
in
Europe and the US. Dr Bulpitt will be located at pSivida’s UK operations,
pSiMedica Limited.
Gavin
Rezos, Managing Director of pSivida commented, “This
new
collaboration represents a further significant commitment and investment
by
pSivida in the core area of our business which leverages a critical US-based,
FDA-experienced development resource.”
pSivida
Limited is currently in negotiations to acquire a US based drug delivery
company
with the potential to create a global drug delivery company specializing
in
nanotechnology, with revenues from existing products and generating long-term
value through its diversified late-stage product portfolio. This new
collaboration is not connected with that planned acquisition. We currently
expect to be able to provide full details on the acquisition within
the
next few weeks, when a formal acquisition agreement may be concluded,
subject to shareholder approvals.
-ENDS-
Released
by:
|
pSivida
Limited
Brian
Leedman
Investor
Relations
pSivida
Limited
Tel:
+ 61 8 9226 5099
brianl@psivida.com
|
US
Public Relations
Beverley
Jedynak
President
Martin
E. Janis & Company, Inc
Tel:
+1 (312) 9 1100 ext. 12
bjedynak@janispr.com
|
UK
& Europe Public Relations
Mark
Swallow / Helena Podd
Citigate
Dewe Rogerson
Tel:
+44 (0)20 7638 9571
mark.swallow@citigatedr.co.uk
|
NOTES
TO EDITORS:
pSivida
Limited
pSivida
is a global nanotechnology company committed to the biomedical sector and
the
development of products in healthcare. The company’s focus is the development
and commercialisation of a modified form of silicon (porosified or
nano-structured silicon) known as BioSilicon™. As a new and exciting
biocompatible material, BioSilicon™ offers multiple potential applications
across the high growth healthcare sector, including controlled release drug
delivery, targeted cancer therapies (including brachytherapy and localized
chemotherapy), tissue engineering and orthopedics. Potential diagnostics
applications are being developed through its subsidiary AION Diagnostics
Limited.
pSivida
owns the intellectual property rights to BioSilicon™ for use in or on humans and
animals. The IP portfolio consists of 26 patent families, 31 granted patents
and
over 80 patent applications. The core patent, which recognises BioSilicon™ as a
biomaterial was granted in the UK in 2000 and in the US in 2001.
pSivida
is listed on NASDAQ (PSDV),
the
Australian Stock Exchange (PSD)
and in
Germany on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on the XETRA system (German Symbol:
PSI. Securities Code (WKN) 358705).
pSivida’s shares also trade in the United Kingdom on the OFEX International
Market Service (IMS) under the ticker symbol PSD.
pSivida
is a founding member of the NASDAQ Health Care Index and the Merrill Lynch
Nanotechnology Index.
The
Company’s strategic partner and largest shareholder is the QinetiQ group, the
largest science and technology company in Europe. QinetiQ is the former UK
government Defence Evaluation Research Agency and was instrumental in
discovering BioSilicon™. pSivida enjoys a strong relationship with QinetiQ
having access to its cutting edge research and development facilities. For
more
information on QinetiQ visit www.qinetiq.com.
Cirrus
Pharmaceuticals
Cirrus
Pharmaceuticals is a contract product development company assisting
biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with dosage form development
projects. Cirrus assist or manage projects as needed by providing a broad
array
of R&D services including physical and chemical characterization,
formulation development, stability testing, container/closure selection,
process
development, scale-up and technical transfer to manufacturing for inhaled,
oral,
topical and parenteral products.
For
more
information, visit www.psivida.com
This
document contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable at this time, we can give no assurance
that such expectations will prove to be correct. Given these uncertainties,
readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated
in
these forward-looking statements due to many important factors including:
our
failure to develop applications for BioSiliconTM due to regulatory,
scientific or other issues. Other reasons are contained in cautionary statements
in the Registration Statement on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities
and
Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, under Item 3.D,
"Risk
Factors" therein. We do not undertake to update any oral or written
forward-looking statements that may be made by or on behalf of
pSivida.