Scientific Board Update

RNS Number : 4188Q

Physiomics PLC

19 October 2011

 



Physiomics plc ("Physiomics" or "the Company")

Physiomics Announces Scientific Advisory Board Re-Structuring

Physiomics plc (AIM: PYC), the Oxford, UK based systems biology company, is pleased to announce that it has completed the re-structuring of its Scientific Advisory Board ("SAB").

The role of the SAB is to provide expert advice and guidance on the company's technology development and our overall strategy.  There will now be a particular focus on how to gain a competitive edge on the competition and be seen to be leading the way in the application of systems biology in the drug development process to more reliably predict the clinical outcome of drug candidates.

Professor David Fell and Dr David Orrell, existing consultants to Physiomics, will be joined by Dr Robert Jackson to form the nucleus of the new Physiomics' SAB. It is expected that further appointments will follow to advise on how to strengthen the strategic technology orientation of the company.

David Fell is Professor of Systems Biology at Oxford Brookes University and is recognised as an expert in systems biology and metabolic modelling. He has pioneered developments in these fields and he is the author or co-author of more than 100 scientific publications. David has held positions in, or chaired, a number of editorial boards, policy committees and international strategy panels in metabolic engineering and systems biology. Professor Fell has been involved with the Company since 2001.

Dr Jackson has held numerous senior research positions in the pharmaceutical industry including Cyclacel, Celltech, Agouron, DuPont and Warner-Lambert. He has led teams that have developed 26 compounds to clinical trials, five of which ultimately received marketing approval. He has also been one of the forerunners of computer modelling of chemotherapy, and he authored two books on the topic. Robert has also been part of, or chaired, numerous research committees and Scientific Advisory Boards.

Dr Orrell is an applied mathematician and an author. He has worked in diverse areas including weather forecasting, economics, systems biology, and cancer biology. He is the author of several books including The Future of Everything: The Science of Prediction, and over 20 research papers and also various articles in mainstream media.

Dr Christophe Chassagnole, COO of Physiomics, commented:

"We believe this advisory board represents some of the most prolific researchers, publishers and innovators in mathematical modeling, systems biology and oncology. We expect this unique mix of talents working together to play a key role in the development of our Virtual Tumour technology and to guide us with our future developments"

Enquiries:

Physiomics plc

Dr Mark Chadwick, CEO

[phone]

WH Ireland Limited

Katy Mitchell

[phone]

Information on Physiomics plc

Physiomics (AIM:PYC) is a computational systems biology services company applying simulations of cell behavior to drug development to reduce the high attrition rates of clinical trials. 80-90 per cent of all clinical drug candidates fail to reach the market and estimates show that an overall ten per cent improvement in success rates could reduce the cost of one drug's development by as much as $242 million, from the current estimate of around $800 million¹.

Physiomics develops computational systems biology models to predict and understand cancer drug efficacy from pre-clinical research to clinical development. Physiomics has created detailed mathematical models incorporating the most important molecular events taking place during the human cell cycle and apoptosis processes. The company's SystemCell® technology enables the simulation of populations of "virtual cells". The company has also developed a "Virtual Tumour" model to simulate the effect of anti-cancer drugs on tumour growth. The models are used to optimise compound design and to design drug schedules and combination therapies.

Physiomics, based in Oxford, UK, was founded in 2001, and floated on AIM in 2004. For further information, please visit www.physiomics-plc.com

SystemCell® is a registered trademark of Physiomics plc

¹Tufts Centre Impact Report 2002

 

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