Vernalis plc (LSE: VER) today announces the achievement of a milestone under the company’s
collaboration with Novartis on the oncology target Hsp90. The $3 million milestone is triggered by
the first dosing in a Phase II proof of concept clinical trial of AUY-922, an Hsp90 inhibitor, in a range
of solid tumours.
Ian Garland, CEO of Vernalis said “We are delighted that our programme with Novartis has
progressed into Phase II and we look forward to the results of the current Phase II proof of concept
study which Novartis has indicated are targeted for 2010”.
About Vernalis
Vernalis is a development stage pharmaceutical company with significant expertise both in de novo
fragment and structure-based drug discovery and pre-clinical and clinical development. The Group
has one marketed product, frovatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine, and five priority product
candidates in clinical development (three of which are partnered), two further priority programmes in
pre-clinical development (neither of which is partnered) and other collaborative drug discovery
programmes. Vernalis has a further two partnered programmes that are in clinical development in
which it retains an economic interest. Our technologies, capabilities and products are endorsed by
collaborations with leading, global pharmaceutical companies including GSK, Biogen Idec, Novartis,
Servier, Chiesi, Menarini, and Endo.
Vernalis Forward-Looking Statement
This news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current
expectations regarding future events including the clinical development and regulatory clearance of
the Company's products, the Company's ability to find partners for the development and
commercialisation of its products, as well as the Company's future capital raising activities. Forwardlooking
statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those
projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the Company's research
strategies, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of
clinical studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the ability of the Company to
identify and agree beneficial terms with suitable partners for the commercialisation and/or
development of its products, as well as the achievement of expected synergies from such transactions,
the acceptance of Frova® and other products by consumers and medical professionals, the successful
integration of completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expected synergies from such
transactions, and the ability of the Company to identify and consummate suitable strategic and
business combination transactions.
