Oxford Biomedica

Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development of novel gene-based therapeutics with a focus on the areas of oncology and neurotherapy. The Company was established in 1995 as a spin out from Oxford University, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Oxford BioMedica’s products use genes as the mediators of a therapeutic effect and/or immune response. The Company’s gene therapy products deliver therapeutic molecules in vivo whilst its gene-based immunotherapy products deliver genes that recruit the patient’s immune system to mediate a therapeutic effect. The genes are delivered by the Company’s highly engineered viral systems.

Oxford BioMedica has core expertise in gene delivery, as well as in-house clinical, regulatory and manufacturing know-how. In oncology, the pipeline includes an immunotherapy and a gene therapy in multiple Phase II trials, and a preclinical targeted antibody therapy in collaboration with Wyeth. In neurotherapy, the Company's lead product is a gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, which is expected to enter clinical trials in 2006, and four further preclinical candidates. The Company is underpinned by over 80 patent families, which represent one of the broadest patent estates in the field.

The Company has a staff of approximately 70 split between its main facilities in Oxford and its wholly owned subsidiary, BioMedica Inc, in San Diego, California. Oxford BioMedica has corporate collaborations with Arius Research, Intervet, Kiadis, MolMed, Sigma-Aldrich, Viragen and Wyeth. In addition, the Company has technology licence agreements with Biogen Idec, Merck & Co, Pfizer and a large, unnamed biopharmaceutical company