Results Pre-clinical Pilot Study in IPF for NXP004

Nuformix plc

Nuformix Reports Results from Pre-clinical Pilot Study in IPF for NXP004 Programme

Cambridge, UK - 19 August 2020: Nuformix plc (LSE:NFX) ("Nuformix" or "the Group"), a pharmaceutical development company focused on unlocking the therapeutic potential and value of known drugs to develop new novel medicines to provide enhanced benefit, announces results from the pre-clinical pilot study and evaluation of its NXP004 fibrosis programme in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), against standard of care.

As a response to COVID-19, staff and equipment at our research partner, Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group (NFRG) had been commandeered on Government orders to support national testing efforts at Milton Keynes and completion of this pre-clinical pilot study had therefore been delayed.

IPF is characterised by excessive deposition and remodelling of extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to lung scarring and loss of respiratory function. Over-production of key ECM components are a key driver in IPF progression:

·     NXP004 showed a dose-dependent reduction in the secretion of several key ECM components

·     These data suggest NXP004 compares favourably to current standard of care with regard to anti-fibrotic activity in this model

·     Delivery of a full pre-clinical study data set in multiple human IPF tissue samples is the next focus

Dr Joanne Holland, Chief Scientific Officer, said:

"Whilst this is only the pilot phase of this pre-clinical study, positive indications of anti-fibrotic activity are very encouraging. We would like to thank our research partner NFRG for prioritising completion of this study under challenging circumstances."

Enquiries:

About NXP004 - Fibrosis programme in human IPF

Nuformix has completed a pre-clinical pilot study to investigate the potential for NXP004 as a treatment for IPF in human IPF lung tissue with its research partner, Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group (NFRG). The marketed form of this drug is very successful in its current indication, its formulation and side-effects have posed a significant challenge to extending the use of the drug into new indications that could also benefit from its mechanism of action. The Company's instinct was to use cocrystal technology to overcome some of the formulation issues and open up potential new therapeutic applications. Evaluation of the full pre-clinical data alongside exploring new formulation options with our cocrystal forms will enable us to begin to explore additional business development options.

About Cocrystals

Pharmaceutical cocrystals are materials composed of two or more different molecules, usually an active pharmaceutical ingredient together with a pharmaceutically acceptable "coformer" molecule. Cocrystals can be engineered to enhance the bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, stability and manufacturing of drug products.

About Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis  

IPF is a rare, debilitating, and fatal lung disease that causes progressive lung scarring. With a global prevalence of 13-20 per 100,000 people worldwide the expected survival rate of patients is only 3-5 years with lung transplantation the only survival option. The growing global IPF market is expected to reach $5.9 billion by 2025 (CAGR 13.1%) (iHealthcareAnalyst, Inc 2019)

About Nuformix

Nuformix is a pharmaceutical development company focused on unlocking the therapeutic potential and value of known drugs to develop new novel medicines which provide therapeutic and commercial advantages to the currently available drug form. Nuformix's model of repurposing drugs utilises many technologies but is focussed on its acknowledged expertise in the use of cocrystal technology through which the Group has developed and patented novel forms of small molecules. Its platform is not therapy-specific but instead has broad application across a wide range of indications. Using its technology, the Group is developing proprietary medicines for its own development pipeline and in partnership with pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Nuformix plc shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange's Official List under the ticker: NFX. For more information please visit www.nuformix.com.