http://oxfordpharmascience.com/


Oxford Pharmascience is a drug development company that re-develops approved drugs to make them better, safer and easier to take.

Oxford Pharmascience is using its proprietary oral drug delivery technologies to develop improved formulations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and statins for global markets.

The Company's risk-diversified pipeline of prescription and OTC medicines is focused on cardiovascular disease and pain relief indications. Since the products incorporate previously approved drugs, this reduces risk and results in a simplified drug development regulatory pathway allowing less expensive development programs and faster access to market.

The Company has also commercialized calcium/vitamin D chews that taste better and dissolve faster than currently available regular formats. These products are now marketed in the UK, Middle East and Brazil.

Oxford Pharmascience is located in the UK and is led by a highly experienced management team that directs and manages the outsourcing of its development; pre-clinical and clinical programs; and manufacturing to a trusted network of partners and suppliers.

The Company commercializes its portfolio of product opportunities through out-licensing to leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Currently the Company has partnerships with Aché Laboratories and Bayer.

Oxford Pharmascience (LON:OXP) was established by a team of entrepreneurs in 2008 and is a publicly listed company on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM), with a strong blue chip investor base.

I don't think I would the first in the queue to take part in this trial :-)

"The pilot clinical study will be a two arm study between OXP001 and reference Ibuprofen 400 mg tablets in a total of 44 healthy adults and will assess the incidence of upper gastrointestinal irritation via endoscopy. Patient recruitment will start shortly aiming to dose the first patient early in March."

Final Results, Notice of AGM & Appointment of CEO

RNS


RNS Number : 5095B

Oxford Pharmascience Group PLC

05 March 2014






Oxford Pharmascience Group Plc

("Oxford Pharmascience" or the "Company")

Results for the Year Ended 31 December 2013 and Notice of AGM

Appointment of new CEO



Oxford Pharmascience (AIM: OXP), the specialty pharmaceutical company that redevelops medicines to make them better, safer and easier to take, today announces its results for the year ended 31 December 2013 and gives notice of its AGM be held on 18 June 2014 at 2.00pm at the offices of Fasken Martineau LLP, Third Floor, 17 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1HU. The Report and Accounts and Notice of AGM will today be posted to shareholders.





OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

· Continued strong sales growth of soft chew calcium product with Aché Laboratorios in Brazil and launch of Inellare Sugarfree line extension

· Commencement and significant progress in Safer NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) programme, with the successful completion of preclinical work and appointment of Italian Dipharma Francis SRL to supply commercial scale 'gastric safe' Ibuprofen

· Development of "gastric safe" 400mg ibuprofen tablet following successful consultation with MHRA and appointment of Quotient Clinical to conduct clinical pilot study

· Strengthening of organisational capability, with appointment of Head of Clinical Management and Head of Supply Development as well as establishment of Scientific Advisory Board

· Further advancement of "colon delivery" platform with formulation of statin products and signing of option with original licensor to explore 53 further compounds



FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

· Revenue in the year ended 31 December 2013 of £1.03m, a 121% increase on the prior year

· Operating loss of £1.56m (2012: £0.82m) reflecting a planned increase in R&D spend, primarily on the NSAIDs programme

· Balance sheet strengthened by two successful fund raisings for £9m during the year, with cash resources of £9.9m as at 31 December 2013



POST PERIOD EVENTS

· As part of the evolution of the Company's strategy, Marcelo Bravo, founder and previously Chief Technology Officer of the Company, has replaced Nigel Theobald as CEO whose resignation is effective immediately

In 2013 the company made significant progress in the transformation into a drug re-development company initiating development of a pipeline of innovative medicines and building its organisational capability. 2014 is set to be a pivotal year for the company with a focus on advancement of its lead NSAID programmes and initialising international commercialisation of these. To strengthen its organisational capability and position the company for the next phase, the company is evolving its leadership and making further executive and non-executive appointments.



Effective immediately Marcelo Bravo, founder and currently Chief Technology Officer of Oxford Pharmascience assumes the role of CEO replacing Nigel Theobald. Marcelo has a deep knowledge of the Company and extensive experience in growing businesses internationally, and with his background at Oxford Pharmascience makes him ideally poised to lead the Company as it enters the commercial phase. Effective today, Nigel Theobald has resigned as CEO and Board director of the company to pursue new business interests but will assist us going forward with business development support for the over the counter ("OTC") business.



The Company is also in the process of appointing a further non-executive Board Director with a significant track record in business development in the pharmaceutical industry and a (non-board) Director of Research & Development to manage all of the Company's development activities. Further announcements will be made in due course.



The Company now has the resources and the capability to move forward with its lead programmes and is proceeding with a clinical pilot study to establish proof of concept of the gastric risk reduction benefit of its novel form of ibuprofen. In parallel, the Company is taking initial preparatory steps for the commercialisation of taste masked OTC products utilising this same novel ibuprofen material.



David Norwood, Chairman, commented on behalf of the board:



"We would like to thank Nigel Theobald for his contribution to the Board, taking Oxford Pharmascience through the initial development of the business including its admission to AIM and evolution into a specialty pharmaceutical company. We wish him all the best with his new ventures."



Marcelo Bravo, Chief Executive, Oxford Pharmascience Group Plc, commented:



"We have come a long way with Oxford Pharmascience yet this is only the beginning. I look forward to significant growth in the years ahead as our pipeline goes commercial.



We have completed our transformation into a specialty pharmaceutical company and through our lead safer NSAIDs programme we are poised to revolutionise this vast drug class. 2014 is a pivotal year in which we will be advancing our development programme as well as initiating commercial efforts behind the ibuprofen products as well as other NSAIDs that will soon follow."

THE BIG PICTURE - Oxford Pharmascience at inflection point as it moves towards commercialising pipeline

By Giles Gwinnett

March 05 2014, 1:05pm

So what will 2014 bring? The main focus will be on fast-tracking its NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) portfolio to market, while it continues to advance its statin programme


Oxford Pharmascience (LON:OXP) is now at an 'inflection point' as it moves towards commercialising its drug pipeline.

Unveiling a solid set of 2013 results on Wednesday, the specialist in re-developing medicines to make them safer and easier to take, told investors its transformation into a specialty pharma group was now complete.

Part of that evolution has involved a shuffling within the organisation. It has hired heads of both clinical management and supply development as well as establishing a scientific advisory board.

The latest strand of the strategy has seen chief executive Nigel Theobald replaced at the helm by founder and previous chief technological officer Marcelo Bravo.

Theobald is to pursue other interests but will assist in supporting thedevelopment of the over the counter (OTC) business.

So what will 2014 bring? The main focus will be on fast-tracking its NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) portfolio to market, while it continues to advance its statin programme.

The firm has highlighted that two successful fundraisings in 2013 for £9 mln had strengthened its balance sheet and allowed it to expand that NSAID pipeline to now include naproxen, aspirin and diclofenac, alongside its ongoing work using the firm's technology in delivering ibuprofen.

Oxford is also now moving to clinical pilot testing of its Rx 'Safer Ibuprofen' tablet as well as completion of development of two or three non-tablet Ibuprofen OTC forms.

It is also proceeding to the first in-human proof-of-concept tests of colon delivery of statins which is planned for late in the second quarter.

New chief executive Bravo told Proactive how Theobald had been the "perfect" CEO for the initial stages of the company and the latest move was a natural evolution for an emerging company.

"We were still establishing what we were all about. Also, we were very focused on innovation in over the counter. That's Nigel's background," he said.

"In the past 18 months or so we have completely transformed the company so we're becoming a specialty technology pharmaceutical company bringing cutting edge pharmaceutical technology to solve big problems in patient care."

Oxford has outlined how its strong cash position allows it to get products through to the dossier stage.

These are the reports into a drug and are vital in then licensing the products to major pharma firms, which can then get their own marketing authorisations in various countries.

House broker N+1 Singer is upbeat about the group's prospects, in a note to clients on Wednesday, it said: "Proof of concept clinical trials for the first of the group’s NSAID products has been approved and we anticipate others to follow within the next 12 months.

"We believe that not only is the group’s potential in the NSAID field enticing but also within the Statin programme which continues to advance. We remain positive about the group and have confidence in its ability in the re-formulation space."

The broker puts an intrinsic value on the group of 11.4 pence a share - which is around 165% increase on its current share price.

The full year results to end December last week showed group revenue at 1mln - 121% greater than in 2012 mainly driven by sales of its calcium chews.

The operating loss of £1.56mln (2012: loss of £0.82m) reflected a planned increase in research & development (R&D) spend, the company said.

Shares are unchanged today at 4.30p.

Initiation of Pilot Clinical Study

RNS


RNS Number : 8811B

Oxford Pharmascience Group PLC

10 March 2014






Oxford Pharmascience Group plc

("Oxford Pharmascience" or the "Company")

Oxford Pharmascience Announces Initiation of Pilot Clinical Study of OXP001 (Reduced Gastric Irritation Ibuprofen)



Oxford Pharmascience, the specialty pharmaceutical company that redevelops medicines to make them better, safer and easier to take, today announces that dosing of subjects in its pilot clinical study of OXP001 400mg Ibuprofen has begun. OXP001 delivers 400mg of ibuprofen via the company's OXPzero™ technology in a novel salt oral formulation and it aims to provide significantly reduced risks of gastrointestinal (GI) side effects for use in the treatment of conditions requiring the chronic use of Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs).



The randomised, controlled pilot study - which is being conducted at a single site in the UK - is a two arm study between OXP001 and the reference Ibuprofen 400mg tablets. The purpose of the study is to assess the incidence of upper gastrointestinal irritation via endoscopy using a modified Lanza score. Further details about the study can be found at www.ClinicalTrials.gov.



NSAIDs are one of the most widely used classes of drugs, with more than 30 million users worldwide consuming NSAIDs each day. However, chronic use of NSAIDs causes well documented GI side effects including ulcers and bleeding and leads to significant morbidity and mortality in many patients.



Marcelo Bravo, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Pharmascience commented:



"The development of GI safer NSAIDs is a key priority for Oxford Pharmascience and it is a great achievement for the Company to have reached this milestone. The study will provide the data that will allow Oxford Pharmascience to proceed with confidence to late Phase III pivotal trials for its reduced gastric irritation ibuprofen product as well as further potential NSAIDs in our pipeline."

Appointment of Director of Research & Development
RNS
RNS Number : 4032C
Oxford Pharmascience Group PLC
17 March 2014



Oxford Pharmascience Group Plc



("Oxford Pharmascience" or the "Company")



Appointment of Director of Research & Development





Oxford Pharmascience, the speciality pharmaceutical company that redevelops medicines to make them better, safer and easier to take, today announces it has appointed Dr. Liz King as Director of Research & Development to manage all of the Company's development activities. Liz will be responsible for leading and executing the company's development programme focused on the company's two main medicines reformulation programmes in NSAIDs and Statins with reduced side effects. Liz will be a non-board member of the Oxford Pharmascience management team reporting to Marcelo Bravo, Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Liz King has a comprehensive background in the pharmaceutical industry and in-depth experience of pharmaceutical drug development within the EU and US from the discovery phase through to registration and life-cycle management. Liz has managed multi-functional, international teams, defined and implemented drug development strategies and plans, led due diligence activities, submitted orphan drug applications, managed strategic alliances, participated in FDA and EU regulatory agency meetings and overseen global licence conformance programmes. Liz also has experience of pharmaceutical sciences, technology transfer and business development. Liz has a PhD from the University of Cambridge on polymer science and has worked at Pfizer, Shire Pharmaceuticals, ProStrakan, Mitovie and Pharmalink Consulting.



"I am delighted Dr. Liz King is joining Oxford Pharmascience at this crucial point as we advance a broad pipeline of products into market. Liz is a perfect fit for Oxford PharmaScience with her background in both big Pharma and experience of small, lean organisations. The appointment of Dr. King represents a substantial strengthening of our management team as we continue to move Oxford Pharmascience to a new level of development and performance."

Director Deals - Oxford Pharmascience Group PLC (OXP)
BFN
Dave Norwood, Chairman, bought 1,000,000 shares in the company on the 25th March 2014 at a price of 4.30p. The Director now holds 105,938,633 shares.

Story provided by StockMarketWire.com
Director deals data provided by www.directorsholdings.com

Having a look at this one.

For a share that usually ticks along quietly this suddenly seems to have put a spurt on this week and it's surely not just from the Chairman's buy announced on the 25th. News in the pipeline, or has it been tipped somewhere?

Plenty of strength here could be news soon.

Perhaps news of the trials, as detailed in the 10th March RNS, are going well ? Potentially a huge market for this company - "30 million users worldwide consuming NSAIDs each day".

Tipped in yesterdays FT a 9p target price apparently.

90 million shares traded today.

One very large trade early this afternoon in that volume mitzy - 89,412,584 @ 5.55p.

Noticed that doodlebug.

That's mine. :-))

CEO Showcasing Ibuprofen Taste Masked Products

RNS


RNS Number : 2019E

Oxford Pharmascience Group PLC

08 April 2014










Oxford Pharmascience Group plc

("Oxford Pharmascience" or the "Company")



CEO Showcasing Ibuprofen Taste Masked Products





Oxford Pharmascience, the AIM-quoted specialty pharmaceutical company that redevelops medicines to make them better, safer and easier to take, today announces that CEO Marcelo Bravo will be showcasing for the first time its taste masked Ibuprofen OTC products which use the Company's proprietary delivery platform OXPzeroTM. Mr. Bravo will also be giving an overview of the Company and its programmes at the Proactive Investors One2One Investor Forum in London on 10th April at 6pm at Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel, 35 Charles Street, Mayfair, W1J 5EB.

A copy of the presentation given will be made available on the Company's website after the event. Oxford Pharmascience has a diverse pipeline spanning pain relief (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs or NSAIDs) and cardiovascular disease (Atorvastatin) indications with products aimed at both over-the-counter ("OTC") and prescription ("Rx") markets. The Company has two lead products that is beginning to commercialise this year, specifically a 200mg/5ml Ibuprofen suspension and 200mg soft 'gummie', both aimed at the OTC paediatrics market. These are the first products of their kind, completely taste and burn free. The Company is now establishing product supply both in Europe and North America with the aim of conducting preregistration bioequivalence trials of final versions of these products in early 2015. In parallel, the company is progressing its programmes in safer NSAIDs and safer statins as well as further NSAID OTC products.

NSAIDs and statins are some of the most widely used classes of drugs with known problems that affect patient adherence and ultimate therapeutic outcomes. The Company's portfolio addresses major unmet patient needs with significant commercial potential in global markets.

Marcelo Bravo, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Pharmascience commented:

"I look forward to showcasing for the first time the lead products that Oxford Pharmascience is beginning to commercialise this year. We believe that our completely taste masked "burn free" high dose ibuprofen suspension and soft gummies are disruptive products in their category and signal Oxford Pharmascience's entrance in to the medicines market".

The marketing campaign about to start this week.

Up 10% today.

Nice chunky buy at 5.6p just gone through.

Is ibuprofen making us sick? Research suggests it may cause gut conditions such as coeliac disease

Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is linked to coeliac disease
They can cause intestinal inflammation and make intestines too permeable
This can allow gluten to leak out of the intestines and into the bloodstream

It can trigger an autoimmune response by the immune system

In people prone to coeliac disease, this can cause the condition to develop


ByEmma Innes

Published: 10:43, 22 April 2014 | Updated: 11:38, 22 April 2014

Taking ibuprofen is linked to the development of coeliac disease, research suggests

When people have a headache, their first reaction is often to pop a couple of painkillers.


These drugs have become such a big part of everyday life that few people even consider whether there are likely to be any ill effects from their regular use.

In fact, ibuprofen is well known for irritating the gut and can cause stomach ulcers.

And now, research suggests ibuprofen could be linked to the development of coeliac disease.


A review of the last 20 years of research into non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, suggests that the drugs are linked to ‘leaky gut syndrome’ meaning the walls of the intestines become more permeable, The Daily Beast reports.


And, a National Institutes of Health study supported this theory by revealing that NSAIDs can cause intestinal inflammation and increase the permeability of the intestines.


The intestinal inflammation and permeability caused by NSAIDs is problematic because it allows toxic substances to leak into the bloodstream.


When this happens, an autoimmune response can be triggered which prevents digestion and effective absorption of nutrients, the researchers say.


When the gut is more permeable than it should be, it also allows gluten to leak out.


In people who have a predisposition to coeliac disease, the researchers believe this can lead to adverse reactions to gluten.


Coeliac disease is a common digestive condition which occurs when a person has an adverse reaction to gluten.


In these people, eating foods containing gluten can trigger a range of symptoms.

Gluten is found in pasta, cakes, cereal, bread, some sauces and some ready meals.

The painkiller can cause the intestines to become inflamed and too permeable meaning gluten leaks out



These include diarrhoea, bloating and flatulence, abdominal pain, weight loss and tiredness.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition - this is where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.

Dr Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, told The Daily Beast: ‘From what we understand, [with NSAIDs] one of the side effects is that they can affect the permeability of the gut.


‘Now, you have increased passage of gluten, and if you are genetically predisposed, you can develop coeliac or gluten-intolerance.’


The situation is thought to be worst for people who take the painkillers after exercising.

If gluten leaks out of the intestines it can trigger an autoimmune response associated with the development of coeliac disease. People with coeliac disease can't eat products containing gluten, such as pasta and bread



Another study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, revealed NSAIDs can also cause intestinal damage when they are taken after exercise.

This causes damage to the surface of the intestines reducing their ability to absorb nutrients.


There is no cure for coeliac disease but switching to a gluten-free diet can help control symptoms and prevent long-term complications.


In the long-term, if it is not managed, the condition can cause anaemia, osteoporosis and even bowel cancer.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2610158/Is-ibuprofen-making-sick-Research-suggests-cause-coeliac-disease.html#ixzz2zd12YS73