CeNeS, Cambridge, UK, 13 July 2006 - CeNeS Pharmaceuticals (AIM:CEN), the Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has acquired rights to certain granted patents and patent applications from ALZA Corporation of Mountain View, CA relating to transdermal delivery of CeNeS’ novel NMDA antagonist CNS 5161. Under the agreement ALZA will receive payments based on sales of future products covered by the acquired intellectual property. Other financial details were not disclosed  

CeNeS has already produced preliminary data demonstrating the feasibility for a transdermal patch formulation of CNS 5161. CeNeS now plans to complete development of a transdermal patch formulation of CNS 5161 for the management of chronic neuropathic pain using the acquired formulation intellectual property. CeNeS possesses composition of matter per se patents granted on CNS 5161, and patent protection may be extended to 2020 through the acquisition of this intellectual property. 

To date, CNS 5161 has successfully completed two Phase IIa studies using an intravenous formulation to establish safety and efficacy in patients with neuropathic pain arising from various causes. 

Neil Clark, Chief Executive of CeNeS commented: “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with ALZA to secure key intellectual property that will enable CeNeS to develop state-of-the-art transdermal formulations of CNS 5161. It is well established that transdermal drug formulations can provide effective solutions in chronic conditions and can also lead to a higher level of patient compliance. We have also today entered into a co-development agreement with Ergomed to complete a comprehensive set of Phase II trials with CNS 5161. This programme includes a Phase II trial programme in diabetic neuropathic pain - a poorly treated chronic condition that affects over 4 million patients in the US and Europe. A transdermal formulation of CNS 5161 has the potential to significantly improve the treatment of this condition.”  

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For more information please contact: 

CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc                                                   

Tel: +44 (0)1223 266466

Neil Clark CEO 

Northbank Communications                                       

Tel: +44 (0)20 7886 8150

Rowan Minnion – r.minnion@northbankcommunications.com

Douglas Pretsell – d.pretsell@northbankcommunications.com  

About CeNeS

CeNeS (AIM:CEN) is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development and commercialisation of drugs for pain control, sedation and other CNS disorders such as Parkinson's disease. The Company is based in Cambridge, England. For further information visit www.cenes.com  

About neuropathic pain

A range of primary diseases or conditions such as diabetes and shingles, or surgical procedures such as limb amputation can result in nerve damage which leads to a sustained chronic pain. This neuropathic pain is difficult to treat as traditional analgesics do not provide adequate relief for many patients. 

One of the most common forms of neuropathic pain is associated with diabetes, a poorly treated chronic condition that affects over 4 million patients in the US and Europe.  Drug treatments for neuropathic pain represent a significant area of unmet medical need and a growing market opportunity and the total neuropathic pain market is forecast to grow to at least $5 billion by 2010.  

Glutamate (particularly NMDA) receptors have been implicated in the induction and maintenance of neuropathic pain and NMDA antagonists may represent a class of drugs for effective relief of neuropathic pain.   

About CNS 5161

CNS 5161 is a blocker of the NMDA ion channel and has completed Phase IIa proof of concept clinical trials as a novel compound for the treatment of neuropathic pain. 

Two Phase I studies using CNS 5161administered intravenously have been completed in male volunteers. The first study demonstrated the safety and tolerability of selected doses of CNS 5161 and the second that at a dose of CNS 5161 that was well tolerated, analgesic effects were evident in an experimental model of pain. 

Two small Phase IIa studies have been completed giving single dose intravenous infusions of CNS 5161 to patients with long standing intractable neuropathic pain. A total of 48 patients have received CNS 5161; 10 patients in an initial study and 38 patients in a study completed in 2005. CeNeS announced results for the second of these Phase IIa trials of CNS 5161 in 2005. Both studies reported analgesic effects of CNS 5161 at doses that were well tolerated by the patients.