IONIX GRANTED PATENTS ON ANALGESIC DRUG TARGET

Cambridge, UK. May 1, 2003: Ionix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., the European analgesic drug discovery company announced today that it has been awarded patent protection in support of its programme to develop new analgesics that block the sodium channel drug target, Nav1.8. Ionix has issued patents that cover this target in the United States (US6451554), Europe (EP0835261) and Australia (AU721798). These patents originate from pioneering work on the discovery and validation of Nav1.8 (formerly known as SNS) in the laboratory of Ionix co-founder, Professor John Wood at University College London. Ionix is developing small molecules that selectively block the channel, using its proprietary screening and medicinal chemistry technologies. The company believes that Nav1.8 blockade promises to deliver a new class of potent analgesic drug candidates, indicated for the treatment of chronic pain associated with inflammatory and neuropathic conditions. 

"Our patent estate on this drug target strengthens our leadership in the search for proprietary Nav1.8 blockers, and provides us with significant competitive advantage" said Andrew Sandham, President & CEO of Ionix Pharmaceuticals.

Ionix also announced that it had signed a pipeline deal with the Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine in Berlin-Buch Germany, providing exclusive rights to new discoveries made by the laboratory of Dr Gary Lewin in the field of analgesia. Dr Lewin is an acknowledged leader in research to identify the biological mechanisms that lead to pain. He has made several discoveries that may, in collaboration with Ionix scientists, lead to the development of novel analgesics. 

"We are very pleased to form this alliance with Ionix, which we hope will advance our inventions in drug targets towards the development of innovative analgesic medicines" said Dr Lewin.

Ionix has analgesic drug discovery and development programmes that include an intranasal opioid for acute post-operative pain in Phase I trials, a calcium channel blocker for neuropathic pain in lead optimisation, sodium channel blocker programmes for inflammatory pain in hits-to-leads, and a nociceptor blocker programme for touch-evoked pain in target discovery.

Notes to Editors

About Ionix Pharmaceuticals
Ionix Pharmaceuticals, based in Cambridge UK, is a leader in the discovery and development of new analgesic medicines for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Using proprietary drug targets and state-of-the-art chemistry, the company is developing medicines that are designed to alleviate pain associated with trauma, operative procedures, and debilitating diseases such as arthritis, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Ionix Pharmaceuticals is a privately held company, founded in 2001 with Series A investment from Apax Partners and The Wellcome Trust.