Summit Therapeutics plc Summit Therapeutics Recognises Tenth Annual Rare Disease Day

 
TIDMSUMM 
 
 
   Summit Therapeutics plc 
 
   ('Summit' or 'the Company') 
 
   SUMMIT THERAPEUTICS RECOGNISES 10(TH) ANNUAL RARE DISEASE DAY 
 
   Oxford, UK, 28 February 2017 - Summit Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: SMMT, 
AIM: SUMM), the drug discovery and development company advancing 
therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy ('DMD') and Clostridium 
difficile infection, recognises the tenth annual Rare Disease Day taking 
place today, 28 February 2017. The Rare Disease Day 2017 theme, 'with 
research, possibilities are limitless,' emphasises the importance of 
scientific research in helping to understand, diagnose and treat rare 
diseases that affect millions of people and their families worldwide. 
 
   Summit seeks to remain at the forefront of utrophin modulation research 
through its strategic alliance with the University of Oxford, under the 
guidance of Professor Kay Davies. The collaboration is focussed on 
developing future-generation utrophin modulators for the potential 
treatment of all patients with the progressive muscle wasting disorder, 
DMD. To date, the research team has identified two series of novel 
utrophin modulators, one of which has a mechanism of action potentially 
distinct from ezutromid, the Company's lead utrophin modulator that is 
in a Phase 2 clinical trial in DMD patients. 
 
   "In our quest to bring a potentially disease-modifying treatment to all 
patients with DMD, we have collaborated with the preeminent expert in 
utrophin modulation biology, Professor Kay Davies, and her research team 
at the University of Oxford," said Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer 
of Summit. "We applaud EURORDIS, the organisation representing rare 
disease patients in Europe, for bringing an annual spotlight to the 
plight of millions of people affected by rare diseases and in this year, 
recognising the immense impact that research is having and will continue 
to have for those living with rare diseases." 
 
   In the European Union a rare disease is defined as one that affects 
fewer than 5 in 10,000 of the general population, while in the United 
States, it is defined as a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 
people. There are between 6,000 and 8,000 known rare diseases with 
around five new rare diseases described in the literature each week. 
Rare diseases are often chronic and life threatening and include rare 
conditions, such as childhood cancers, and some other well-known 
conditions including cystic fibrosis and DMD. 
 
   Rare Disease Day takes place on the last day of February each year, and 
its objective is to raise awareness among the general public and 
decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients' lives. 
Rare Disease Day was launched in Europe in 2008 by EURORDIS. It is now 
observed in more than 80 nations, and is sponsored in the US by the 
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). For more information, 
please visit www.rarediseaseday.org. 
 
   About Utrophin Modulation in DMD 
 
   DMD is a progressive muscle wasting disease that affects around 50,000 
boys and young men in the developed world. The disease is caused by 
different genetic faults in the gene that encodes dystrophin, a protein 
that is essential for the healthy function of all muscles. There is 
currently no cure for DMD and life expectancy is into the late twenties. 
Utrophin protein is functionally and structurally similar to dystrophin. 
In preclinical studies, the continued expression of utrophin has a 
meaningful, positive effect on muscle performance. Summit believes that 
utrophin modulation has the potential to slow down or even stop the 
progression of DMD, regardless of the underlying dystrophin gene 
mutation. Summit also believes that utrophin modulation could 
potentially be complementary to other therapeutic approaches for DMD. 
The Company's lead utrophin modulator, ezutromid, is an orally 
administered, small molecule. DMD is an orphan disease, and the US Food 
and Drug Administration ('FDA') and the European Medicines Agency have 
granted orphan drug status to ezutromid. Orphan drugs receive a number 
of benefits including additional regulatory support and a period of 
market exclusivity following approval. In addition, ezutromid has been 
granted Fast Track designation and Rare Pediatric Disease designation by 
the FDA. 
 
   About Summit Therapeutics 
 
   Summit is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, 
development and commercialisation of novel medicines for indications for 
which there are no existing or only inadequate therapies. Summit is 
conducting clinical programs focused on the genetic disease Duchenne 
muscular dystrophy and the infectious disease C. difficile infection. 
Further information is available at www.summitplc.com and Summit can be 
followed on Twitter (@summitplc). 
 
   For more information, please contact: 
 
 
 
 
Summit 
 Glyn Edwards / Richard Pye (UK office)         Tel: [phone] 
 Erik Ostrowski / Michelle Avery (US office)    [phone] 
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP 
 (Nominated Adviser)                            Tel: [phone] 
 Liam Murray / Tony Rawlinson 
N+1 Singer 
 (Broker)                                       Tel: [phone] 
 Aubrey Powell / Lauren Kettle 
MacDougall Biomedical Communications 
 (US media contact)                            Tel: [phone] 
 Chris Erdman / Karen Sharma                   [e-mail] 
                                               [e-mail] 
Consilium Strategic Communications            Tel: [phone] 
 (Financial public relations, UK)              [e-mail] 
 Mary-Jane Elliott / Sue Stuart / 
 Jessica Hodgson / Lindsey Neville 
 
 
   Forward-looking Statements 
 
   Any statements in this press release about Summit's future expectations, 
plans and prospects, including but not limited to, statements about the 
clinical and preclinical development of Summit's product candidates, the 
therapeutic potential of Summit's product candidates, and the timing of 
initiation, completion and availability of data from clinical trials, 
and other statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," 
"continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," 
"potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "would," and 
similar expressions, constitute forward looking statements within the 
meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual 
results may differ materially from those indicated by such 
forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, 
including: the uncertainties inherent in the initiation of future 
clinical trials, availability and timing of data from on-going and 
future clinical trials and the results of such trials, whether 
preliminary results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the 
final results of that trial or whether results of early clinical trials 
or preclinical studies will be indicative of the results of later 
clinical trials, expectations for regulatory approvals, availability of 
funding sufficient for Summit's foreseeable and unforeseeable operating 
expenses and capital expenditure requirements and other factors 
discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of filings that Summit makes 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission including Summit's Annual 
Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2016. 
Accordingly readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking 
statements or information. In addition, any forward looking statements 
included in this press release represent Summit's views only as of the 
date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing 
Summit's views as of any subsequent date. Summit specifically disclaims 
any obligation to update any forward-looking statements included in this 
press release. 
 
   -END- 
 
   This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf 
of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. 
 
   The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely 
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information 
contained therein. 
 
   Source: Summit Therapeutics plc via Globenewswire 
 
 
  http://www.summitplc.com/ 
 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 28, 2017 07:00 ET (12:00 GMT)

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