http://www.summitplc.com/
Summit is an Oxford, UK based drug discovery company developing novel drug candidates to treat areas of high unmet medical need. Our strategy has evolved to focus on the development of two high-value clinical-stage programmes that target the fatal genetic disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and infections caused by the superbug C. difficile

Well done Sh.

Summit Corporation PLC : Award of Share Options
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Summit Corporation plc
('Summit' or 'the Company')

AWARD OF SHARE OPTIONS

Oxford, UK, 27 December 2012 - Summit (AIM: SUMM), a UK drug discovery and development company, today announces that on 24 December 2012 it granted Share Options over 10,000,000 shares to certain individuals at an exercise price of 4.25 pence per share. The options will vest subject to achieving certain performance conditions.

This share option award is part of Summit's strategic shift to focus on the development of its clinical-stage programmes for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ('DMD') and Clostridium difficile infections ('CDI') and will help motivate and retain personnel who are key to the success of the respective programmes. The Board believes this award is aligned with the interests of all shareholders as the Company seeks to generate shareholder value.

The options will fully vest on the third anniversary of date of grant subject to achieving the performance condition of the average closing share price being equal to or greater than 8.0 pence in any period of 30 consecutive calendar days ending on or before the third anniversary. The options will lapse if the performance condition is not met by the third anniversary of date of grant.

The total number of options being awarded represents 2.8% of the Company's current issued share capital. There are no options being awarded to Executive Directors or Officers at this time.

Notes to Editors

About Summit
Summit is an Oxford, UK based drug discovery and development Company targeting high-value areas of unmet medical need including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and C. difficile infection. Summit is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol SUMM. Further information is available at www.summitplc.com.

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Summit Corporation plc
('Summit' or 'the Company')

SUMMIT AND CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER ENTER UTROPHIN BIOMARKER COLLABORATION FOR DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

•
Collaboration Supported by Grant from Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne


Oxford, UK, 6 February 2013 - Summit (AIM: SUMM), a drug discovery and development company advancing therapies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ('DMD') and C. difficile infections, announces that it has entered into a collaboration with Dr Yetrib Hathout from Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, for the development of utrophin biomarkers for DMD. The collaboration is being financially supported by a grant from the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne and is part of a comprehensive biomarker programme being undertaken by Summit to advance its utrophin modulator programme for DMD. In late 2012, Summit reported that in a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers, its lead candidate SMT C1100 was safe and well-tolerated.

"We are delighted to be working with Dr Hathout on developing new biomarkers that will help advance our understanding of DMD while supporting the progress of Summit's utrophin modulator programme," commented Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Summit. "Developing biomarker indicators capable of accurately measuring utrophin protein levels in muscle will be vital in helping to confirm the activity of our clinical candidate SMT C1100 in future patient trials. We thank the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne for their continuing support in advancing this important medical research."

Joel Wood, President of the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne added, "We are committed to ensuring that urgently needed treatments have the best possible chance of successfully progressing through clinical trials. As such, we are pleased to provide funding to support Summit's utrophin modulation programme, which is a novel and promising approach for treating all genetic forms of DMD."

DMD is caused by genetic mutations that prevent patients from making the structural protein dystrophin, which leads to progressive muscle wasting and is ultimately fatal. Summit is pioneering utrophin modulation to stimulate production of utrophin, a functionally similar protein to dystrophin that is expressed in foetal and regenerating muscle, and which has the potential to restore and maintain healthy muscle function. This disease modifying approach would benefit all DMD patients, regardless of the underlying genetic fault causing their illness. SMT C1100 is the Company's leading utrophin modulator drug and successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in late 2012.

The development of new biomarkers that accurately quantify utrophin protein levels in DMD muscles will play an important role in providing evidence for the potential effectiveness of Summit's utrophin modulator drugs in future patient clinical trials. Dr Hathout, a Principal Investigator at the Center for Genetic Medicine Research at Children's National, will apply his expertise in cutting-edge proteomic techniques to develop a sensitive, robust mass-spectrometry based assay that can quantitatively measure utrophin protein levels in biopsies of DMD muscle. This collaboration is part of Summit's comprehensive biomarker programme developing a range of assays that will measure biological endpoints to demonstrate muscle benefit after treatment with small molecule utrophin modulators

UPDATE: Summit teams up with Children's National Medical Center
1:30 pm by John Harrington This collaboration is part of Summit's comprehensive biomarker programme developing a range of assays that will measure biological endpoints to demonstrate muscle benefit after treatment with small molecule utrophin modulators.

-- Adds comments from chief executive and broker --

Summit (LON:SUMM) has received a boost to its Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) project with a charitable foundation agreeing to fund part of its testing programme.

The company is teaming up with the highly respected Dr Yetrib Hathout from Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC to develop utrophin biomarkers for DMD.

The collaboration is being financially supported by a grant from the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne and is part of a comprehensive biomarker programme being undertaken by Summit to advance its utrophin modulator programme for DMD.

Utrophin is a protein that exists in muscle cells, and Summit already has a drug in development – SMT C1100 – which is designed to increase utrophin production as a treatment for DMD.

In a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers last year, SMT C1100 was deemed safe and well-tolerated.

“Developing biomarker indicators capable of accurately measuring utrophin protein levels in muscle will be vital in helping to confirm the activity of our clinical candidate SMT C1100 in future patient trials," said Glyn Edwards, chief executive officer of Summit.

Speaking to Proactive Investors, Edwards said that since the company refocused last year on just two programmes – the DMD drug SMT C1100 and the C. difficile infection treatment SMT 19969 – progress has come on in “leaps and bounds”.

“One of the big next steps is to do a trial … to find out whether the drug works or not … but that covers a multitude of sins. You’ve got to have ways of measuring how effective the drug is, and because this is a new approach to the treatment for a disease that has got no cures at the moment, then the measurement side is having to be developed as well as the drug side,” Edwards explained.

For that you need biomarkers: biological molecules found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that provide a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or the activity of a disease.

Edwards said that developing biomarkers is “the hot thing” in the pharmaceutical industry as they can be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease, but, unfortunately, no company has developed a new biomarker for DMD that Summit can piggy-back on.

Consequently, the company has to work with leading academics, such as Dr Hathout, who is a Principal Investigator at the Center for Genetic Medicine Research at Children's National. He will apply his expertise in proteomic techniques to develop a sensitive, robust mass-spectrometry based assay that can quantitatively measure utrophin protein levels in biopsies of DMD muscle.

Edwards said the company is delighted to be working with Dr Hathout, and with the collaboration being wholly financed by the US organisation, the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne, today’s deal is a “win-win for everyone”.

DMD is caused by genetic mutations that prevent patients from making the structural protein dystrophin, which leads to progressive muscle wasting. Except in very few circumstances, the disease only affects boys.

Fortunately, the number of people suffering from the disease is relatively small – Edwards said there are known to be about 50,000 sufferers scattered across North America, Europe and Japan – but the price for an effective treatment that can extend and improve the quality of a patient’s life is potentially high.

“Keeping the maths simple, let’s say the cost of treatment is $100,000 a year. With 50,000 sufferers that’s a potential $5bn a year market opportunity,” Edwards noted.

That explains why Summit chose to focus on developing a treatment.

Summit is pioneering utrophin modulation to stimulate production of utrophin, a functionally similar protein to dystrophin that is expressed in foetal and regenerating muscle, and which has the potential to restore and maintain healthy muscle function. This disease modifying approach would benefit all DMD patients, regardless of the underlying genetic fault causing their illness, Summit says.

This collaboration is part of Summit's comprehensive biomarker programme developing a range of assays that will measure biological endpoints to demonstrate muscle benefit after treatment with small molecule utrophin modulators.

Edwards said the company is hopeful other charities will chip in to help with other aspects of the biomarker programme.

In a research note, Sheena Berry and Jens Lindqvist of broker N+1 Singer said: “This agreement is in line with the company’s plans for the further development of SMT C1100 as a novel treatment for DMD, a fatal muscle wasting disease with no current cure. Unlike other approaches in development, SMT C1100 can potentially by used by 100% of boys with DMD and in combination with other agents. We re-iterate a positive stance and 13.3p price target.”

Summit shares currently trade at 4.5p.

Summit Corporation PLC : Research Update
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Summit Corporation plc
('Summit' or 'the Company')

SUMMIT FORMS ADVISORY BOARD TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY PROGRAMME

Oxford, UK, 13 February 2013 - Summit (AIM: SUMM), a drug discovery and development company advancing therapies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ('DMD') and C. difficile infections, announces the formation of an Advisory Board ('the Board') to support the scientific and clinical development of its utrophin modulator programme for the treatment of the fatal genetic disease DMD. The Board brings together six world-renowned scientists and clinicians with expertise in the field of neuromuscular diseases, and particularly DMD.

"We are absolutely delighted to have brought together these eminent thought leaders in neuromuscular diseases to form a world-class Advisory Board that will support our DMD programme," commented Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Summit. "Their expertise brings a deep insight into the disease and will provide invaluable input into future patient clinical trials to support the progression of our utrophin modulation programme, including our lead candidate SMT C1100."

"Summit's utrophin modulation program is a very promising approach that offers the opportunity to treat all the genetic forms of DMD," added Dr Kenneth Fischbeck, NIH Distinguished Investigator and member of the Advisory Board. "I look forward to working with this outstanding group of clinicians and scientists, and contributing to the progress of Summit's DMD program as we explore the potential of utrophin modulation as an effective treatment for this disease."

The members of Summit's DMD Advisory Board are:

Kate Bushby, MD, Professor of Neuromuscular Genetics at Newcastle University, Deputy Director of MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases at London and Newcastle. Professor Bushby, a clinical academic at one of the leading international neuromuscular centres, is involved in an extensive programme of research in neuromuscular diseases from basic molecular pathology to clinical studies. Professor Bushby is one of the founding coordinators of the TREAT-NMD network and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Committees of the French Muscular Dystrophy Association ('AFM'), Action Duchenne and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.

Kay E Davies, MA, DPhil, DBE, FMedSci, FRS, Dr Lee's Professor of Anatomy, Director MRC Functional Genomics Unit, and Associate Head of the Medical Sciences Division at the University of Oxford. Professor Davies has a long-standing research interest in neuromuscular diseases and is a pioneer of utrophin modulation as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of DMD. Professor Davies is Chair of Action Duchenne's Scientific Advisory Board, a member of the Science Committee of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and a Governor of the Wellcome Trust.

Kenneth H Fischbeck, MD, NIH Distinguished Investigator and Chief of the Neurogenetics Branch at National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ('NINDS'). Dr Fischbeck's research focuses on identifying the causes and mechanisms of hereditary neurological and neuromuscular diseases with a particular interest in muscular dystrophy. Dr Fischbeck serves on advisory boards for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the French Muscular Dystrophy Association ('AFM').

Louis M Kunkel, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and Director of Program in Genomics at Boston Children's Hospital. Professor Kunkel is an internationally recognised geneticist whose research identified the gene and encoded protein dystrophin that is mutated in boys with DMD. Professor Kunkel has a longstanding interest in developing therapies for the muscular dystrophies. Professor Kunkel is Chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Scientific Advisory Committee.

Francesco Muntoni, MD, PhD, Chair of Paediatric Neurology at the Institute of Child Health, London, and Director of the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre at University College London. Professor Muntoni is a paediatric neurologist at the UK's largest paediatric neuromuscular centre of excellence and has a long standing interest in the clinical and molecular aspects of neuromuscular diseases including DMD. Professor Muntoni is a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Italian Telethon and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Myotubular Trust.

H Lee Sweeney, PhD, William Maul Massey Professor, Chairman of Physiology, and Director of the Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. Dr Sweeney is a physiologist whose research interests evaluate the possible causes and treatments of muscle diseases, with a particular focus on DMD. Dr Sweeney is the Senior Scientific Advisor to the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.

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Summit Corporation PLC : New Data Reported from...
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Summit Corporation plc
('Summit' or 'the Company')

NEW DATA REPORTED FROM PRECLINICAL EFFICACY STUDY OF OGA INHIBITORS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED TAUOPATHIES

Improvement in symptoms of motor impairment, increased survival recorded

New data presented at International conference on dementia

Oxford, UK, 11 March 2013 - Summit (AIM: SUMM), a drug discovery and development company, reports new data from its OGA (O-linked N-acetylglucosaminidase) inhibitor programme for the treatment of tauopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer's disease. The OGA inhibitors were evaluated in an in vivo disease model, with results showing trends to a positive impact on motor impairment symptoms and improved survival rates following daily oral dosing. These new data were presented at AD/PD(TM) 2013, the international conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases held in Florence, Italy, 6-10 March.

"Following the strategic refocusing of Summit to commit all resources into advancing our two clinical-stage programmes, the completion of this study represents the natural conclusion of our involvement in this programme," commented Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Summit. "The inhibition of the enzyme OGA has emerged as a potential new treatment paradigm for Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. These encouraging results further highlight the promise of the approach and of our OGA inhibitors, and will add greater depth to the scientific data package as we talk with perspective collaborators about taking this programme further into development."

Summary of Results from Preclinical Efficacy Study
The study evaluated the OGA inhibitors, previously identified using Seglin(TM) technology, in a transgenic tauopathy disease model to determine the effect that prolonged dosing had on motor impairments related to the disease and survival rates. The tauopathies are also characterised by reduced levels of O-GlcNAcylated tau protein and raised levels of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein. In summary, the results of daily oral dosing with the Seglin inhibitors for 10 weeks were:

A clear trend for reduced clasping, a clinical sign indicative of motor impairment, and improved survival rates compared to the untreated cohort;

A statistically significant increase in O-GlcNAcylated protein levels in the brain with the increased global levels maintained on repeat dosing to demonstrate that the OGA inhibitor accessed the brain compartment at therapeutically relevant concentrations;

No observed change in tau protein phosphorylation levels although this is consistent with precedent from the scientific literature;

No associated toxicity or adverse effects from prolonged dosing observed.

The full results were reported at AD/PD(TM) 2013 held in Florence, Italy, 6-10 March 2013, and a copy of the presentation is available from www.summitplc.com.

Summit reveals encouraging early data for potential Alzheimer’s treatment
7:29 am by Ian LyallThe new data were presented at an Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases conference in Florence that ended yesterday.

Drug developer Summit (LON:SUMM) has unveiled encouraging new data on its OGA inhibitor emanating from a pre-clinical study of efficacy in Alzheimer’s and related diseases.

The inhibition of OGA, or O-linked N-acetylglucosaminidase, has emerged as a potential method of treating tauopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer's.

The in-vivo (in animal) disease model pointed to a positive impact on motor impairment symptoms and improved survival rates following daily oral dosing.

These new data were presented at an Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases conference in Florence that ended yesterday.

The company’s focus on its two lead drug candidates – one for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the other for c.difficile infection – means the group will look for a partner to take research further.

"Following the strategic refocusing of Summit to commit all resources into advancing our two clinical-stage programmes, the completion of this study represents the natural conclusion of our involvement in this programme," said Summit chief executive Glyn Edwards.

"The inhibition of the enzyme OGA has emerged as a potential new treatment paradigm for Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. “These encouraging results further highlight the promise of the approach and of our OGA inhibitors, and will add greater depth to the scientific data package as we talk with prospective collaborators about taking this programme further into development

UPDATE: Summit reveals encouraging early data for potential Alzheimer’s treatment
2:29 pm by Ian LyallThe new data were presented at an Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases conference in Florence.

--adds broker update--




Drug developer Summit (LON:SUMM) has unveiled encouraging new data on its OGA inhibitor emanating from a pre-clinical study of efficacy in Alzheimer’s and related diseases.




The inhibition of OGA, or O-linked N-acetylglucosaminidase, has emerged as a potential method of treating tauopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer's.




The in-vivo (in animal) disease model pointed to a positive impact on motor impairment symptoms and improved survival rates following daily oral dosing.




These new data were presented at an Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases conference in Florence in March.

The company’s focus on its two lead drug candidates – one for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the other for c.difficile infection – means the group will look for a partner to take research further.




"Following the strategic refocusing of Summit to commit all resources into advancing our two clinical-stage programmes, the completion of this study represents the natural conclusion of our involvement in this programme," said Summit chief executive Glyn Edwards.




"The inhibition of the enzyme OGA has emerged as a potential new treatment paradigm for Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies.




“These encouraging results further highlight the promise of the approach and of our OGA inhibitors, and will add greater depth to the scientific data package as we talk with prospective collaborators about taking this programme further into development."




Broker N+1 added that while the news highlights the potential the group has with its OGA inhibitors, it is not one of the main focuses of the group and adds little to the investment case.



N+1 is waiting for further news on the progress of its DMD and C.diff programmes, which could potentially generate “game changing” returns.




The broker has a 13.3p price target. Shares rose slightly to 4.26p

Broker round-up part 2 including Summit, Archipelago, Orogen Gold and Herencia
3:20 pm by John Harrington Philip Whiterow


Encouraging data from Summit’s (LON:SUMM) OGA inhibitor programme for the treatment of tauopathies, a group of diseases that includes Alzheimer’s disease, highlights the potential the group has with its OGA inhibitors, says N+1 Singer.

The broker is not making any change to its forecasts for Summit, however, because the study is not one of the main focuses of the group, and so therefore has little impact on the investment case.

“We await further news on the progress of its DMD and C.diff programmes, which could potentially generate game changing returns. We re-iterate a positive stance and 13.3p price target,” the broker said.

Looked at these for a long time but never ventured. Looks promising, mmmm!! Enjoy every ray of sunshine as it is minus one here and snow, freezing winds, so not nice. You are in the best place no thermals needed I would not think. Enjoy.

Its beautiful here. ;-)) Mid 70's. Looks like your weather is going backwards , saw the snow on the television. Thanks 3m.
Its been a real winter at home this year, can only get better I hope.

Closed up 16%

Be nice to double from here wouldn't it ?

Or even better that 90p back in 08.

Well, you never know....

Its all about keeping your nerve lol. The broker has a 13.3p target. This one does seem to move in the +8% to -8% range. Some more positive news and we will get there,

On Friday, Summit Corporation PLC (SUMM:LSE) closed at 5.25, 35.98% below its 52-week high of 8.20, set on Mar 15, 2012.


As of Mar 15, 2013, the consensus forecast amongst 3 polled investment analysts covering Summit Corporation plc advises that the company will outperform the market. This has been the consensus forecast since the sentiment of investment analysts deteriorated on Feb 03, 2010. The previous consensus forecast advised investors to purchase equity in Summit Corporation plc.

hmm..might be a good time to buy more ...will think on it...there are afew others I'm thinking of going in on IAE is one of them..

Do you hold any other shares DC?

A lot at the moment, in most of of the stocks I have posted on. Some doing very well ie Wand, condor. A lot of them tend to drift back with lack of news one being edge resources, made a 100% + sold and back in again with the start of drilling. Been a great share that one. Had very good run the last few months. Just hope it lasts for all of us. Prefer being in the smaller company's
as the sp does move faster. There is more risk and if it goes right, more reward.

Summit outlines next steps in development of potentially breakthrough treatment
7:31 am by Ian LyallMaking the case: The company said it plans to present its utrophin modulator programme at what it described as a “major international conference” being held later this spring.

The drug discovery group Summit (LON:SUMM) has outlined its plans to further develop a potentially breakthrough treatment for muscle wasting disorder Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Its lead drug candidate SMT C1100 is expected to enter clinical trials in patients in the second half of the year.

The study will be split into two. One part will concentrate on determining whether the drug is safe and well tolerated by children while assessing its C1100’s pharmacokinetics - in layman’s terms what the drug actually does to the body.

The treatment is designed stimulate production of a protein call utrophin, similar to dystrophin, which regulates muscle tone and function. It is hoped C1100 will restore and maintain healthy muscle function.

The second part of the study is a phase II trial that will include clinical markers of muscle health as well as levels of utrophin expression.

The biomarker programme has begun and includes the collaboration with Children’s National Medical Center of Washington DC, funded by the DMD organisation, The Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne.

The company said it plans to present its utrophin modulator programme at what it described as a “major international conference” being held later this spring.

Chief executive Glyn Edwards said: “Summit has a unique opportunity to develop a high-value franchise in utrophin modulation, an innovative therapeutic approach for DMD that targets all genetic forms of this devastating disease.

“These clinical trials will be the first to evaluate utrophin modulation in patients, and they aim to quickly establish clinical proof of concept for SMT C1100 through the use of novel biomarkers developed to measure aspects of muscle health.

“The biomarker work, to be conducted side by side with our clinical development programme, will strengthen our DMD franchise and will enhance the commercial value of this asset.”