Growth at Sistemic Ltd due to success of unique miRNA analytical approach

28 June 2011: Sistemic, UK:  The success of the unique analytical approach brought to microRNA (miRNA) profiling technologies by Scottish-based, Sistemic Ltd., (Glasgow, UK) has led to sustained interest from the drug discovery and cell therapeutics markets. As a result the company has commenced an expansion programme which will see the addition of a number of key scientific and bioinformatic staff and a move to a larger dedicated facility near Glasgow, which will also form the company’s new global  headquarters. This will enable Sistemic to fulfil current contracts more rapidly as well as providing further capacity for newly acquired and future contracts. It will also support the company’s expansion of its key internal R&D programmes in drug toxicology and stem cell characterisation.

 The expansion programme will also see the company grow its US commercial operations developing its Boston location and opening an office in California. Commenting on the programme Mr Jim Reid, Sistemic Chairman and CEO said "We are delighted that things are going so well for the company especially when so many businesses are downsizing or finding life tough. It is a real endorsement of the unique technology we are developing and the customer-centric approach we take to our business.” Dr Verna McErlane, Director of Commercial Operations, added; "We are committed to global expansion and see the developments in the US as key to providing customers with local support and dedicated resources aimed at the world's largest market."

 As part of this expansion Sistemic has made a number of new appointments including two additions to its senior management team. Dr David Mallinson, who previously worked for Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD), joined the team on 1 May 2011 as a Senior Scientist and will lead new projects at the expanded facility. Dr Max Bylesjo, who previously worked for ALMAC group will join on 1 July 2011 as a Senior Bioinformatician and will focus on continuing the development of Sistemic’s unique data processing technology. The company is currently seeking additional staff in anticipation of continued growth.

The new Sistemic headquarters will dedicate 60% of its space to new laboratory facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and 40% as new commercial areas.

 Sistemic has developed unique analytical tools to enhance miRNA profiling turning it into a more versatile problem solving technology. Sistemic products include: SistemRNA™ (core enabling platform) , SistemQC™ (for cells, stem cells & cell therapy markets), SistemTOX™ (toxicity profiling) and SistemKB (knowledgebase profiling). Example  applications include screening of drug discovery lead compounds to determine whole cell response to various chemistries as well as cell characterization, QC monitoring, purity, potency and pluripotentcy assessment of cell lines.

 The company was founded in 2008 by a group of scientists including Professor Chris Hillier and Dr Vincent O’Brien (currently CSO) who identified a unique opportunity to utilise miRNA profiling, which forms their core IP. To date Sistemic has focused its efforts on championing miRNA methodology to solve problems in the biotechnology, cell therapeutics and drug discovery markets.

 Sistemic Ltd team members including Mr Jim Reid, Chairman and CEO and Dr Verna  McErlane, Director of Commercial Operations will be available on the Scottish Development International (SDI booth #1305) to provide information and advice at the BIO International Convention held at the Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC, June 27-30th  2011. More information about the company’s products and services may be obtained at: www.sistemic.co.uk

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Sistemic’s, SistemRNA™ Platform Selected by Redx Pharma for Drug Development Screening

Glasgow, Scotland, April 06, 2011 / b3c newswire / - Fast growing Sistemic has signed a master service agreement with Redx Pharma, to provide its SistemRNA™ suite of drug development tools, to accelerate Redx Pharma’s preclinical development pipeline, of over 250 new drug candidates. This comes on the back of the successful completion of a project which added significant value to one of Redx Pharma’s lead programmes whilst providing a significant cost saving. The news follows Sistemic’s announcement in February of an 82% increase in sales from the same period a year ago.

The SistemRNA™ approach offers a new way to accelerate drug development pipelines in a cost effective manner through the use of their intelligent and instructive microRNA-based screening platform. SistemRNA™essentially identifies drug effects by associative changes in microRNA expression profiles and their analysis in context against Sistemic’s growing proprietary database of known drug responses, SistemKB™. The compounds are then fully characterised on the basis of indication, mechanism of action, off-target effects and toxicology profile (SistemTOX™).

Sistemic’s, Director of Commercial Operations, Verna McErlane commented “We are absolutely delighted to be expanding our relationship with Redx Pharma and to have been chosen as their in vitro screening partner for their pipeline of over 250 innovative drug candidates. It is great to be involved with companies like Redx Pharma that have the potential to make a real difference to the treatment options that are available today, bringing safer, more efficacious drugs to the market. The SistemRNA™ suite of drug development tools are proving to be an indispensable tool for biotechnology companies that need to rapidly screen their portfolio whilst adding significant asset value to their programmes. Consequently, our approach is gaining wider acceptance from the drug development community, in addition to the cell therapy markets, and we expect this to lead to a number of other high value master service agreements throughout 2011.”

Redx Pharma’s business strategy is to fast-track new drug candidates towards clinical readiness, prior to out-licensing development and commercialisation. The business has raised in excess of £3m in equity rounds and R&D grants since commencing operations at Liverpool’s MerseyBio in mid-2007. Dr. Neil Murray, CEO of Redx Pharma commented, “We have found the Sistemic approach unique and compelling and we look forward to developing a long and mutually beneficial relationship with them where they will help us with our drug discovery programmes, to bring new treatments faster, cheaper and with more chance of success to the market”.

Sistemic’s primary business is focussed on providing innovative microRNA-based problem-solving services and kit-based products to areas of unmet need within Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology markets and the Cell Therapy community. MicroRNAs are seen as the master controllers of a cell and as such Sistemic believe that they are providing instructive information on effects on a whole cell or organism rather than an isolated pathway. This system approach means that the data produced is more indicative of the biology and more diagnostic of actual effect. Sistemic Chief Executive Jim Reid commented, "The broad applicability of microRNA profiling and the unique insight it can give is now becoming more widely accepted. This agreement confirms this developing acceptance and the endorsement from Redx Pharma is a great boost for Sistemic.” In addition to the extensive suite of tools for the drug development sector Sistemic have a range of tools for the Cell Therapy community including SistemQC™, which is used to characterise cells including stem cells, as well as monitoring the QC of production.

 For more information please contact 

Dr. Verna McErlane
Director of Commercial Operations

Phone: + 44 (0)7855 376 358
Email: verna.mcerlane@sistemic.co.uk

Web: http://www.sistemic.co.uk/

Sistemic Launch SistemTOX™ (v1) First microRNA-Based Toxicity Screening Service

Unveiling of new service is set to significantly reduce cost of drug development

Glasgow, Scotland, November 15^th, 2010 – Sistemic Ltd., the recent winners of the coveted Most Promising Life Science Company by Nexxus, today announced the launch of their SistemTOX™ early predictive and investigative drug toxicity screening service. SistemTOX™ is aimed at reducing R&D costs and consequently accelerating drug development by filtering out unfit compounds early in the development process, presenting much needed cost savings to drug developers.  

The launch of SistemTOX™ comes at a time when the industry has been experiencing huge issues with compound toxicity. Sistemic CEO Professor Chris Hillier stated “The strength of Sistemic’s approach will be in the intelligent use of microRNA profiling to decipher, early on, potential toxicity. Studies have shown that the SistemTOX™ approach can highlight potential toxicity at an early stage and allow assessment of critical pathways which could lead to toxicity in later clinical use. This service is applicable to cell lines such as HepG2 but also to stem cell derived hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes for example. It is not just a yes/no answer, it also provides context which feeds important information quickly back to the scientists. Basically it places the power back into the developer’s hands and reduces risk.”  SistemTOX™ has been extensively evaluated with selected partners and Sistemic welcome interest from companies who wish to get a better and faster understanding of potential toxicity, as early in the lead development process as possible. Linked to the extensive suite of Sistemic drug development products (SistemKB™, SistemRNA™, SistemKB™ and SistemBM™) SistemTOX™ adds another key component to help companies achieve faster, more effective and therefore less costly drug development.

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About SistemRNA™ - SistemRNA™ is the enabling platform which flows through our services and kits. SistemRNA™ analysis captures the microRNA dynamic response of all the cellular pathways in response to a stimulus, as well as their interactions, giving enhanced clarity without data overload. This simplistic yet highly informative approach delivers robust fundamental biological understanding enabling key decision making throughout the research and manufacturing process.

About Sistemic Ltd – Sistemic’s primary business is focused on providing innovative microRNA-based problem solving services and kit based products to areas of unmet need within Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology markets and the Bioprocessing community. 

For more information please contact,

Prof. Chris Hillier, CEO

Phone: +44 (0) 7908 154979                Email: chris.hillier@sistemic.co.uk 

Dr. Verna McErlane, Director of Commercial Operations

Phone: +44 (0) 7855 376358               Email: verna.mcerlane@sistemic.co.uk

More information about Sistemic is available at http://www.sistemic.co.uk