Bionomics Achieves Key Milestones

Bionomics Achieves Key Milestones Across Drug Discovery Programs

• Bionomics on target to commence clinical trials
• IND submission for lead anti-cancer drug candidate BNC105 completed
• Anxiety drug candidate BNC210 on track for IND submission

Drug discovery company Bionomics Limited (ASX: BNO) updated shareholders today at its Annual General Meeting on progress to date of its anti-cancer drug BNC105 and anxiety drug candidate BNC210.

“It is pleasing to report on what has been a year of tremendous progress for Bionomics, as we head towards our first clinical trials of BNC105 following submission of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application. Our anxiety program is also making significant progress towards clinical trials, following close behind BNC105,” said Dr Deborah Rathjen, CEO of Bionomics.

Chairman Peter Jonson also updated shareholders on the progress of Bionomics’ strategy. He commented, “Bionomics has an emerging pipeline of drug candidates, which is a testament to our strong discovery capabilities. As we take our anti-cancer and anxiety drug candidates into the clinic we are looking for opportunities to develop our early-stage pipeline via licensing deals, enabling Bionomics to focus on clinical trials with our lead programs while providing a strong return to our loyal shareholders.”

Bionomics submitted an IND application for lead anti-cancer drug candidate, BNC105 in October and is on track to commence clinical trials in late 2007. BNC105 is a new type of drug called a Vascular Disrupting Agent (VDA) that acts by rapidly shutting down the blood supply to a tumour. It thereby “starves” the tumour of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to survive.

“The first clinical trial for BNC105 will look at safety and will also study the pharmacokinetics of BNC105 in patients with advanced cancer. In addition the trial, which will be a dose-ranging study, will investigate parameters of vascular shut down induced by BNC105. We are working closely with three Melbourne-based cancer centres which have been chosen as initial sites for the clinical trial,” said Dr Rathjen.

Bionomics also reported that lead anxiety candidate BNC210 is demonstrating strong results as a new approach to the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Pre-clinical studies have shown BNC210 to be highly effective when compared with diazepam, the active ingredient of Valium®, and BNC210 shows none of the side effects associated with anxiety drugs currently available, such as drowsiness, impairment of memory and motor function, addition and nausea.

In addition, BNC210 has been shown to be fast-acting and suitable for oral dosing, two properties that will have a significant impact on patients requiring treatment and clearly differentiates BNC210 from other anxiety drugs on the market.

“We are on track to complete IND enabling studies for BNC210 by early 2009,” continued Dr Rathjen. “As we make progress towards clinical trials, Bionomics is commencing the large scale GMP manufacture of BNC210 required and gathering the data needed for our IND submission.”

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