MPM.L Regulatory News (MPM)

9 Jan 2007 07:01

Minster Pharmaceuticals PLC09 January 2007 For immediate release 9 January 2007 MINSTER PHARMACEUTICALS PLC ("Minster" or "the Company") Positive Tonabersat Migraine Study Findings Minster Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: MPM), the drug development companyspecialising in neurological and psychiatric disorders, today updates the marketon its recent Phase IIa clinical trial of tonabersat in the prophylactictreatment of migraine. The trial results show evidence that tonabersat is effective in the preventivetreatment of migraine. In this trial, responders were individuals whoexperienced a 50% or greater reduction in migraine attack frequency relative tobaseline. Responder rates for month three of the study were 62% in thetonabersat group and 45% in the placebo group (p=0.05). At the same time dayswhen "rescue medication" (such as painkillers, Imigran etc) were needed werereduced by 60% for the tonabersat group and 34% for placebo (p= 0.02). Overall, tonabersat was generally superior to placebo in a range of furtheroutcome measures though these differences did not achieve statisticalsignificance in this trial. The data indicate that the benefits of tonabersatrelative to placebo continued to increase in the final month of the study.There were few significant adverse events and tonabersat was well tolerated. Principal Investigator, Peter Goadsby, MD, PhD, DSc, Professor of Neurology atthe Institute of Neurology, University College, London and Director of theHeadache Group at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, said: "This early study indicates that tonabersat is a very promising preventivetreatment for migraine. I recommend fully-powered studies to explore thebenefits of higher doses and longer treatment periods." Richard B. Lipton, MD, Professor of Neurology at the Albert Einstein College ofMedicine, New York, and Past President of the American Headache Society, said: "If the results of this positive study are confirmed, tonabersat could become thefirst preventive agent specifically designed to treat migraine headaches. Thedrug was developed as a gap junction blocker which prevents spreading depressionin experimental models postulated to identify drugs that prevent migraine." Paul Sharpe MD, Chief Executive Officer of Minster Pharmaceuticals, commented: "The results of this trial support our expectations that tonabersat will prove tobe a significant advance in the management of migraine, a common condition whichis often very disruptive of the daily lives of sufferers, many of them youngpeople. The good tolerability of tonabersat seen in this trial contrasts withother treatments for prevention of migraine and will enable us to study theeffects of higher and potentially more effective doses in future studies. Weshall now be exploring partnering opportunities and other options for takingtonabersat through to market." - ENDS - For further information: Minster Pharmaceuticals plc Tel: +44 (0) 1799 506623 Paul Sharpe, Chief Executive Officer Robert Aubrey, Chief Financial Officer Buchanan Communications Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 Mark Court / Rebecca Skye Dietrich Notes for editors: About Minster Pharmaceuticals plc Minster Pharmaceuticals was co-founded in January 2001 by Paul Sharpe MD, aformer head of the Neuroscience Development Team at SmithKline Beecham, and byRobert Aubrey, who has extensive senior management experience. Minster, whichwas initially named BioPartners Ltd, acquired from GlaxoSmithKline the worldwidedevelopment rights of two compounds, tonabersat and sabcomeline, which hadalready benefited from substantial investment by GSK. Tonabersat is the most advanced compound in an exciting new class of drugscalled gap junction blockers, which have significant potential in the treatmentof migraine and other major neurological conditions. Sabcomeline, a muscarinicpartial agonist, has potential in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia. Bothcompounds benefit from comprehensive safety tolerance data as a result ofinvestment by GSK. Minster's core competence is in drug development. In addition to progressing thedevelopment of tonabersat and sabcomeline, the company has the capability totake on further compounds by acquisition or by in-licensing. Minster joined the AIM market in February 2005 and trades under the symbol MPM.For further information please visit www.minsterpharma.com. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange