Antisoma to evaluate rainforest anti-cancer compounds from EcoBiotics Ltd

London, UK, and Brisbane, Australia: 7 March 2006 London-based cancer drug developer Antisoma plc (LSE: ASM, US OTC: ATSMY) and EcoBiotics Ltd, a privately held drug discovery company based in Queensland, Australia, today announce the signature of an agreement under which Antisoma will evaluate and have an option to license early-stage anti-cancer compounds from EcoBiotics. Antisoma will choose up to three compounds from the EcoBiotics portfolio to evaluate during the next year. If these evaluations yield positive results, Antisoma will have rights to license up to two of the compounds for development as anti-cancer drugs on pre-agreed terms.

EcoBiotics has a diverse portfolio of structurally defined and patent-protected molecules derived from tropical rainforest plants. A number of these molecules have already demonstrated anti-cancer activity in early preclinical assessments. All those evaluated by Antisoma will be small molecules that can be made by chemical synthesis.
Antisoma’s Chief Executive Officer, Glyn Edwards, said: “The success of our search and develop business model is based on our ability to find promising anti-cancer drugs to which we can apply our development expertise. Evaluation deals like the one we have signed with EcoBiotics add to the diversity of potential inputs to our pipeline and nicely complement our ongoing activity in licensing single preclinical and early clinical stage drugs.”

EcoBiotics Chief Executive Officer, Dr Victoria Gordon, said: “We’re delighted that a significant drug developer such as Antisoma has recognised the quality and depth of our discovery pipeline and will be evaluating compounds from our portfolio. There is a natural synergy between the discovery expertise of EcoBiotics and the development capabilities of Antisoma that provides the opportunity for rapid advancement of molecules that show potential as oncology drugs.”

Enquiries:

Daniel Elger +44 (0)20 8799 8200
Director of Communications +44 (0)7909 915068
Dr Victoria Gordon, CEO
EcoBiotics Ltd +61 (0)7 4089 7777


Mark Court/Lisa Baderoon/Rebecca Skye Dietrich +44 (0)20 7466 5000
Buchanan Communications (UK enquiries)

Antisoma disclaimer
Certain matters discussed in this statement are forward looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties may be associated with product discovery and development, including statements regarding the company’s clinical development programmes, the expected timing of clinical trials and regulatory filings. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations, but actual results may differ materially.


Notes to Editors

Background on EcoBiotics
EcoBiotics is a privately-held Australian company that specialises in the discovery and early development of new pharmaceuticals from Queensland’s unique tropical rainforests. The company’s discovery R&D focuses in four therapeutic areas: oncology, inflammation, infectious diseases and parasite control. EcoBiotics has a strong and growing pipeline of promising lead candidates in all four therapeutic areas and actively seeks partners for further development and marketing of these products. For further information about EcoBiotics please visit www.ecobioticsdiscovery.com.

Background on Antisoma
Based in London, UK, Antisoma is a biopharmaceutical company that develops novel products for the treatment of cancer. Antisoma fills its development pipeline by acquiring promising new product candidates from internationally recognised academic or cancer research institutions. Its core activity is the preclinical and clinical development of these drug candidates. In 2002, Antisoma formed a broad strategic alliance with Roche to develop and commercialise products from Antisoma’s pipeline. Please visit www.antisoma.com for further information about Antisoma.

Contact Information

Margherita Lupi

Corporate Communications Manager

Antisoma plc

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