Sosei Announces Deal With UK Biotech Company

TOKYO , Oct. 14 /CNW/ - Sosei Group Corporation ("Sosei"; TSE Mothers Index: 4565), a biopharmaceutical company, today announces the assignment of the drug discovery programme, SD281 and its analogues, to Biocopea Limited, a UK biotechnology company and subsidiary of PepTcell Limited. These compounds, based on a metabolite of a well-known drug, were shown by Sosei to have pronounced anti-inflammatory properties. Sosei had positioned the compounds for intervention in inflammatory diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Biocopea intends to develop the portfolio of compounds further using its specialized chemical design, specific disease models and immunology expertise.

The deal means that a promising class of new chemical entities with a long remaining patent life can be taken forward by a partner committed to the development of new therapies for a variety of immune diseases. Under the terms of the assignment, Sosei will receive payments when the compounds are commercialized by Biocopea or its partners.

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About Sosei

Sosei Group Corporation is a leading international biopharmaceutical company with significant expertise in product discovery and development. It has established a reduced risk business model primarily upon identifying new uses for established drugs and exploiting its unique position within Japanese, European and North American pharmaceutical markets by acquiring compounds from, and bringing compounds into, Japan .

For further information about Sosei, please visit http://www.sosei.com

About Biocopea

Biocopea is focussed upon the identification and exploitation of novel biology from existing drug templates. It is 75% owned by PepTcell Limited, a biotechnology company with the aim of converting theoretical concepts into novel analytical tools and clinical products, in the field of immunology.

For further information about Biocopea, please visit http://www.bicopea.com

For further information: Enquires: Sosei Group Corporation Tokyo office: Hidetoshi TORAMI, Director of Finance, [phone], [email protected]; London office: Yumi YAMAMOTO, Manager, Finance and IR Europe, [phone], [email protected]