About ERIX
EiRx Therapeutics is a specialist provider of pre-clinical therapeutics to the pharmaceutical industry. Our unique scientific expertise and knowledge in the field of Apoptosis provide a sound base to discover and develop new medicines that will safely and selectively repair this natural process in disease. The potential benefits from these new medicines are enormous, since as many as 70% of all human disease have some defect in the control of Apoptosis.
Apoptosis - the biological process that determines whether cells in our bodies live or die...
http://www.eirx.com/index.html

Purchased some of these on the strength of the PROGRESS UPDATE looks promising.
http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200603200701130254A.html

ERX interview with John Pool
http://www.wallstreetreporter.com/interview.php?id=18589&player=real
Latest News
CANCER COLLABORATION WITH BIOMERIEUX SA
http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200607120700230534G.html
Biomerieux Web Site
http://www.biomerieux.com/servlet/srt/bio/portail/home
ABOUT ERX Focus Of The Month
http://www.billamag.net/focus-document-text.asp?FocusTextID=1
ERX pdf filehttp://www.eirx.com/eirx_heading_images/Yokohama2005.pdf
19/09/2006 A 50% reduction in breast tumour volume size seen with Eirx lead molecule in animal studies
http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200609190700171175J.html

Past and present collaborative partners include:

* bioMieux SA
* Almac Diagnostics Ltd
* Merck & Co, Ltd
* Biofocus plc
* MGI Pharmaceuticals, Inc
* OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc
* Sareum plc
* Regen Therapeutics plc
* SR Pharma plc

smiler,he is and he is right about the date.

read an article while i went out for a coffee, they reckon cause holiday period is coming a lot of stocks will rise, some very sharply

hmmm!!! hope so

rising fast...

Come on PH your off on your party soon and then the sp can shoot up!

good to see this one moving up ahead of results next week.

Hopefully gardyne our patience will be rewarded Some time next week !!

I think we should do well as we are just about back where we were a couple of weeks ago, it would be nice to see it steaderly rise until next friday.

Bid was just at 0.35p when Offer price was only 0.33p work that out?
Must be very keen to get people to sell last thing! IMO.

Nice tick up again today,That 3 In a Row hopefully 4 Monday.

lets see what they say on friday eh!!

a bit worrying that they want to release on the quietest trading day of the year.

or maybe it will be a christmas present

I can do with as well after the bad news i received this weeked

Some serious tree shaking going on!

dont know why laurie, another 4 days to go before news, and I bet we dont get the news until mid-day on friday rather than 7am

Can't understand the slight drop as the 00.0030 are buys

MMs want cheap shares! Seeing if any panic sellers.

If thats the case it has had the oppersite affect as them seems be more people buying than selling

there are some shorters, SCAP and HOODS, althou, I think HOODS have reduced there short position on friday and will close the remaining shorts during the course of this week. SCAPS I think will close at the last minute which could see us SPIKE quite sharply

this is why we went so much on friday, this was published friday

SURVIVIN in my patents list
Inventor: HAYES IAN (IE); COTTER TOM (IE); (+5) Applicant: EIRX THERAPEUTICS LTD (IE); HAYES IAN (IE); (+6)
EC: C07K14/47A1A; C07K14/47A33 IPC: C07K14/47; A61K38/00; C07K14/435 (+2)
Publication info: WO03091384 - 2003-11-06





AVN944 Inhibits IMPDH & Induces Apoptosis-related Biomarkers In Patients With Hematologic Cancers
Main Category: Cancer / Oncology News
Article Date: 15 Dec 2006 - 1:00 PST
| email this article | printer friendly | view or write opinions | Article Also Appears In
Lymphoma / LeukemiaClinical Trials / Drug TrialsBlood / Hematology

Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ and NYSE Arca: AVRX), presented a poster detailing the effect of AVN944 on a comprehensive set of genetic and biochemical biomarkers at the American Society of Hematology 48th Annual Meeting. AVN944 demonstrated a statistically meaningful impact on IMPDH and other proteins that are critical to activities in cancer cells, including nucleotide biosynthesis, energy and metabolism, DNA replication, apoptosis and cell cycle control. The data were collected in an ongoing Phase I open-label, repeat dose-escalation study designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of AVN944 in patients with advanced hematologic malignancies and to determine the optimal dose for Phase II efficacy trials. Further data from an interim analysis of the trial is expected to be available shortly.

"IMPDH is highly upregulated in most hematological cancers and in many solid tumors," said Beverly S. Mitchell, M.D., Deputy Director of the Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center and George E. Becker Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. "IMPDH plays an essential role in cancer cell synthesis of DNA and RNA, and the inhibition of IMPDH represents a new and potentially important approach to the treatment of cancer."

Analysis of the selected markers in patient samples from the Phase I trial showed a correlation of changes in the expression of these genes to dose level and duration of exposure. Importantly, several of these markers have been shown to reflect a durable, sustained stress response indicative of cancer cell death, particularly in cancer cells from AML patients. Specifically, it was found that the gene HspA1A, a marker of stress response found to correlate with depleted GTP pools in cancer cell lines, is induced within hours upon the first treatment of the drug in patients, even at the trial's lowest doses. Following continued dosing of AVN944, this marker of disease cell stress was elevated even in the absence of circulating levels of the drug between doses. Other genes directly related to IMPDH inhibition showed similar response characteristics.

"AvalonRx, our proprietary gene expression platform, enabled us to identify a set of 34 genes that reflect the mechanism-based activity of AVN944," said David Bol, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Product and Pharmaceutical Development at Avalon. "These gene markers correlate with the biochemical effects of AVN944 on protein function, which we believe will result in tumor cell apoptosis at the right doses. Our goal for the current Phase I study is to achieve those dose levels in patients. It is very encouraging that we have not seen any drug related adverse events even though we are already seeing biomarker movements consistent with significant inhibition of the IMPDH enzyme. This indicates the potential for a good therapeutic window. Additionally, these data showcase the power of the AvalonRx technology in understanding the pharmacologic, pharmacodynamic and biologic activity of a drug on patients in early clinical studies."

This analysis of the trial data was intended to describe how these biomarkers correlate with biologic activity of the drug in patients as the doses escalate. When comparing patients with different hematologic cancers, examination of the complete set of markers clearly demonstrated the utility of comprehensive gene expression analysis in clinical trials by distinguishing individuals with similar diseases, as well as patients with different malignancies, based on the makeup of their disease prior to drug administration as well as the different nature of the cellular response following drug administration.

###

An abstract of the Presentation, entitled, "Genetic and Biochemical Biomarkers of IMPDH Inhibition in Phase I Dose Escalation of AVN944 for Hematological Malignancies," is now available on the ASH website, http://www.hematology.org/.

About AVN-944

AVN944 is an oral small molecule drug candidate that inhibits inosine monosphospate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), an enzyme that is critical for cells to be able to synthesize guanosine triphosphate (GTP), a molecule required for DNA synthesis and cellular signaling. IMPDH is over expressed in some cancer cells, especially in the case of hematological malignancies. In laboratory experiments, AVN944 has been shown to inhibit IMPDH activity in cells, and suppress pools of GTP. Anticancer activities of IMPDH inhibitors correlate with sustained depletion of GTP pools both in cellular models and in human subjects. AVN944 appears to have a selective effect on cancer cells in that deprivation of GTP in normal cells results in a temporary slowing of cell growth, while GTP deprivation in cancer cells induces cell death, or apoptosis.

Results from preclinical studies of AVN944 indicate that AVN944 inhibited the proliferation of lymphoid and myeloid cells, the principal cells involved in the most common types of human leukemias. In a single-dose, dose-escalation Phase I clinical trial of AVN944 conducted in the United Kingdom in healthy volunteers, AVN944: (1) was well tolerated at all tested doses with no notable side effects; (2) demonstrated good pharmacokinetic properties; and (3) had a significant inhibitory effect on IMPDH enzyme activity. Avalon filed an IND with the FDA in August 2005 and initiated U.S. Phase I clinical trials in January 2006 for the treatment of hematological cancers.

About AvalonRx

AvalonRx is a comprehensive, innovative and proprietary suite of technologies based upon large-scale gene expression analysis. This platform facilitates drug discovery by expanding the range of therapeutic targets for drug intervention, including targets and target pathways frequently considered intractable using conventional HTS approaches, allows more informed decisions about which compounds to advance towards clinical trials and facilitates drug development through identification of biomarkers of efficacy that can stratify patients or provide early indicators of response.

About Avalon Pharmaceuticals

Avalon Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company using its proprietary technology, AvalonRx, to discover and develop cancer therapeutics. Avalon has a lead product in Phase I clinical development (AVN944 - IMPDH inhibitor), preclinical programs to discover inhibitors for the Beta-catenin, Aurora and Survivin pathways and drug discovery collaborations with MedImmune, Novartis, ChemDiv and Medarex. Avalon Pharmaceuticals was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Germantown, Md.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains, in addition to historical information, certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, in particular, related to clinical progress in the development of AVN944. Such statements reflect the current views of Avalon management and are based on certain assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors, risks and uncertainties including the risk that AVN944 will not progress successfully in its clinical trials, and other risks described in our SEC filings. There can be no assurance that our development efforts will succeed, that AVN944 will receive required regulatory clearance or, even if such regulatory clearance is received, that any subsequent products will ultimately achieve commercial success. The information in this Release should be read in conjunction with the Risk Factors set forth in our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K and updates contained in subsequent filings we make with the SEC.

Company EiRx Therapeutics PLC
TIDM ERX
Headline Collaborative Agreement
Released 07:00 09-Mar-06
Number 5175Z



For immediate release
9th March 2006






EIRX THERAPEUTICS PLC

("EiRx" or "The Company")



EiRx and Almac Diagnostics Sign Joint 400K Colorectal Cancer Agreement


Cork, Ireland, 9th March 2006 EiRx Therapeutics plc (AIM: ERX), the drug discovery company developing targeted therapies initially for the treatment of colorectal cancer, announces that it has signed a collaborative agreement with applied genomics specialists Almac Diagnostics Ltd of Craigavon, Northern Ireland. The agreement provides terms for the creation and commercialisation of intellectual property arising from a research alliance between the two companies.



The collaboration is being facilitated in part by the InterTradeIreland INNOVA Collaborative R&D program which will contribute up to 400,000 to fund salaries, research expenses, protection of intellectual property, overheads, travel and other allowances over a two year period.



Under this alliance EiRx will use its ALIBITM platform to design and model the transformation events and mechanisms associated with resistance to apoptosis (cell death) that occur in the early development of colorectal cancer. Almac Diagnostics will measure and correlate gene expression changes associated with the transformation using gene microarray technology. The molecular function of candidate genes in colorectal cancer cells will then be validated using EiRxs proprietary siRNA delivery system and in-vitro apoptosis assays. These targets will form the basis for the design of new drugs designed to selectively and specifically induce apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.



EiRx and Almac Diagnostics view the signing of this agreement as the first phase of a strategic alliance that is expected to expand as the two technology-driven companies work together to develop enhanced treatments for colorectal cancer.



Commenting on the collaboration, EiRx COO Colin Telfer said: We are delighted to sign this collaboration with Almac Diagnostics, whose leading expertise in microarray technology combines with EiRxs skills in functional genomics and translational biology to create a powerful competitive edge. We believe our collaboration will lead to significant advances in understanding of the molecular basis of colorectal cancer and drive our mission to develop new and better medicines.



For further information, please contact:



EiRx Therapeutics plc


John Pool, Chairman
01260 226529

Buchanan Communications


Tim Anderson / Mark Court / Mary-Jane Johnson
020 7466 5000






Notes for Editors:



About EiRx

EiRx Therapeutics (AIM: ERX) is a research-driven healthcare company developing new targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer. The company, which is headquartered in Cork, Ireland, conducts drug discovery from its laboratories in Cork and in Aberdeen, Scotland, and has an initial focus on colorectal tumours, currently the number two cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.



Since its foundation in 1999 EiRx has developed into a leader in the study of functional pathways critical to cancer cell survival and growth, with a research base encompassing apoptosis biology, translational medicine and the metabolic basis of drug resistance in tumours. Using its state-of-the-art, proprietary ALIBI(TM) platform, EiRx has gained new insights into the mechanisms underlying a cell's decision to survive or die, and has implicated a range of novel genes in pivotal control mechanisms such as the PI3K/AKT and GSK/Wnt survival pathways. In combining functional validation technologies with unique clinical resources such as the ACCRI-BANK tissue collection, EiRx is linking the molecular activity of these targets with clinical consequences in patient populations. By streaming validated targets into an innovative compound screening approach EiRx is creating a product development engine specialising in cancer target discovery, validation and targeted therapy.



The EiRx business strategy is three-fold, and integrates (i) discovery and out-licensing of validated cancer diagnostic and drug targets, (ii) discovery and development of new anticancer drugs through independent or collaborative research, and (iii) application of proprietary knowledge and technologies through collaborative R&D initiatives.



Notable milestones in 2005/6 include:



acquisition of oncology company Auvation Ltd



collaborative research agreement with Merck & Co. Inc. to evaluate EiRx's siRNA delivery technology



award of a Marie Curie Programme grant from the European Commission, to support development of the company's screening, chemistry and efficacy testing capabilities



development of the EnPADTM drug screening technology to enable identification of compounds that specifically target cell survival pathways



filing of patent applications on first series of potential anti-cancer compounds identified using EnPADTM, which target the b-catenin signalling pathway to selectively kill colorectal and breast cancer cells in vitro



filing of patent application describing a second series of potential anti-cancer compounds identified using EnPADTM





ALIBITM platform

To identify effective drug targets it is vital to differentiate between genes that are causal and those that are consequential to the biological process under study. EiRxs ALIBITM drug target discovery platform exploits physiological, disease and process-relevant cellular models to achieve this goal. Practical application of the ALIBITM platform has been validated in a detailed analysis of the apoptotic mechanism, and works as follows. An appropriate cellular disease model is selected and a series of assays designed to focus and steer signalling pathway analysis. The apoptotic mechanism and its counteracting survival pathways are subjected to extensive molecular characterisation (genomic and biochemical) to determine kinetics, functional dependency and the ability of inhibitors and siRNA reagents to modulate the targeted cellular processes. Output data is analysed using a suite of bioinformatics tools, resulting in identification of candidate drug targets whose expression is highly correlated with the apoptosis and survival process across the entire assay panel. The current study will utilize the principals of ALIBITM to model the very early events associated with cellular transformation of colorectal cells, thereby identifying specific molecular components which can be targeted by new colorectal cancer drugs.



For more information visit www.eirx.com





About Almac Diagnostics

Almac Diagnostics Limited (www.almac-diagnostics.com) is a cancer diagnostics company that was founded in 2003 by Professor Patrick Johnston and Professor Paul Harkin from Queens University Belfast in partnership with the McClay Trust and is based in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. Almac Diagnostics Ltd is committed to the development and clinical validation of the next generation of cancer diagnostics products.



Almac Diagnostics Ltd believes that its approach of harnessing high throughput enabling technologies combined with state of the art bioinformatic tools to precisely define gene expression changes is essential to the development of the next generation of microarray based cancer diagnostic products. Almac Diagnostics is working closely with some of the worlds leading genomics companies to achieve these aims.



Almac Diagnostics is part of the Almac group of companies, a privately owned group of affiliated companies comprising four principal divisions, CTS (Clinical Trial Services), CSS (Chemical Synthesis Services), PDMS (Pharmaceutical Developmental and Manufacturing Services and ICTI (Interactive Clinical Technologies Inc). Almacs headquarters are based in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with facilities in mainland UK and the United States (www.almac-sciences.com) as well. Almac Diagnostics has benefited from the extensive networks already established by Almac Sciences in the pharmaceutical industry and aims to spearhead Almacs expansion into the genomic service market.



For more information visit www.almac-diagnostics.com





About colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both sexes, accounting for between 10 and 15 percent of all cancer diagnoses. Although highly responsive to treatment when detected at an early stage, the prevalence of late-stage diagnoses means it is second only to lung cancer in the number of cancer deaths it causes. According to the World Health Organisation, almost 950,000 people worldwide were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2000 and about half that number died.



END

not long now chaps.. not long at all