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re: re,read why,add it all together now this is what is it now,i posted a few months ago,it is all coming together nowMimotopes signs three year Multi-Million Dollar Global Peptide Deal
14th February, 2006
PharmAust Limited (ASX:PAA), through its wholly owned subsidiary Mimotopes Pty Ltd, has today signed a new three year contract with global biotechnology group Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN) to exclusively supply research-grade peptides to Invitrogen's worldwide customer base.

This new three-year contract sees Mimotopes become the sole and exclusive provider of research-grade peptides worldwide (excluding Japan) to Invitrogen, which conducts business in more than 70 countries around the world - placing its products in nearly every major laboratory in the world.

The deal gives Mimotopes unparalleled access to the US$500M and rapidly growing research grade peptide market and provides a firm foundation for Mimotopes to achieve its goal of securing 5% of this global market.

PharmAust Managing Director Dr. Paul D'Sylva said: "This contract will cement Mimotopes position as the pharmaceutical industry's Austalian partner of choice for research grade peptides."

"Mimotopes is now able to expand its production capacity locally as well as enhance its production capabilities offshore by way of strategic out-sourcing arrangements."

With a market capitalisation of US$4 billion, California-based Invitrogen provides essential life science technologies for disease research and drug discovery to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as research institutions.

Dr. Nicholas Ede joins Mimotopes
30th January, 2006
Mimotopes is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nicholas Ede as R&D Director. Dr. Ede will also fill the role of Business Development Manager for PharmAust Limited subsidiary Epichem.

Commencing 30 January, 2006, Dr. Ede will drive the innovative direction of Mimotopes through both in-house programs and also by actively in-licensing opportunities in peptide science. This will also include the active in-licencing of pre-clinical peptide therapeutic opportunities.

Dr. Ede joins Mimotopes from his previous position as Chief Operating Officer at Eqitx where he managed the pre-clinical drug development program of Eqitx's subsidiary company Zingotx.

Mimotopes and Genzyme Corporation join forces in a global Strategic Alliance Agreement
27th January, 2006
PharmAust Limited (ASX:PAA) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Mimotopes Pty Ltd, and Genzyme Corporation have signed an exclusive and global Strategic Alliance Agrement to provide a total suite of peptide products and services to both companies' significant customer bases.

The agreement, which commences on February 1, 2006, will see Mimotopes join forces with Genzyme Pharmaceuticals, a business unit of Genzyme Corporation focused in the development and manufacture of peptide and lipid products and technologies, to provide a full suite of products and services for research use to therapeutic grade peptides. The alliance will offer customers of both companies an integrated 'one-stop-shop' opportunity from the laboratory to the clinic, by way of of an exclusive referral agreement. Mimotopes will supply customers with research grade peptides and related services up to the point of lead candidate identification in pre-clinical applications and Genzyme will supply customers with identified lead candidate peptides for pre-clinical applications through to clinical and therapeutic grade peptides and related services.

The Genzyme Pharmaceuticals/Mimotopes co-branded peptide services will be made available to both companies' customer bases, with Mimotopes' range of research-grade and pre-clinical peptides available to Genzyme Pharmaceuticals' significant global customer base and distribution network. The alliance will also provide Genzyme's clinical customers access to Mimotopes' expertise in the production of pre-clinical grade peptides, utilising its proprietary technology and patented synthesis platform.

EqiTx and Mimotopes sign partnering deal
18th September, 2005
Eqitx (ASX:EQX) and PharmAust (ASX:PAA) subsidiary Mimotopes have signed a partnership deal to jointly develop new targets for therapeutic or diagnostic approaches.

Both companies specialise in novel small molecule and peptide therapeutics drug discovery and development. "There have been some synergies with PharmAust and Eqitx for quite some time" said Eqitx CEO Sue MacLeman

Mimotopes has been making Eqitx's peptide vaccines for testing and before Mimotopes was acquired by PharmAust, the company did a lot of work on Eqitx's pain compounds, running part of Eqitx's medicinal chemistry program. Mimotopes managing director Dr. Paul D'Sylva was also involved in setting up Eqitx and sat on its first scientific advisory board, said MacLeman.

We're quite comfortable working with them and understand their structure" she said. "Rather than do a corporate consolidation we thought we could do a collaboration and see how that added value to both groups.

The two companies will have an equal share in any income resulting from the commercialisation of targets developed and will be developing compounds in areas not currently covered by existing programs. "Ultimately, the collaboration could form a new company that could be spun out in other areas" said MacLeman.

"While the specific areas targeted by the collaboration - which begins immediately - have not been disclosed, the two companies will be developing drug candidates in the general are of chronic diseases and ageing" said MacLeman.

Phylogica and PharmAust sign partnering deal to expedite development of improved peptide-based therapeutics.
15th August, 2005
Phylogica Ltd (ASX:PYC) and Mimotopes Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of PharmAust Ltd (ASX:PAA), have signed a partnering deal to work together using their complementary technology platforms to develop next generation peptide drugs.

Phylogica's Phylomer® technology comprises unique peptides (protein parts) that block the unwanted and harmful interactions between proteins involved in a range of common diseases, including stroke, diabetes and asthma.

The Synphase™ platform owned by Mimotopes incorporates complementary technology that will enable the rapid production and optimisation of large libraries of the Phylomers identified by Phylogica as potential therapeutics.

Peptides are becoming increasingly important in the area of therapeutics, with a variety of new peptide drugs under development for cancer, pain, viral infections, diabetes and a host of endocrinological and neurological disorders. The peptide therapeutic market is currently estimated at US$1b and growing at an average annual rate of 40% (Business Communications Company, 2005).

Managing Director of Mimotopes, Dr Paul D’Sylva, said: “This Agreement aligns with our strategy of leveraging the position of Mimotopes as a leader in custom peptide synthesis for therapeutic applications through the formation of joint ventures with high quality drug discovery companies. This partnership with Phylogica positions Mimotopes well to participate in this large and growing market.”

According to Dr D’Sylva, recent developments in several technologies related to the synthesis, screening, stabilisation and modification of peptides will facilitate the transit of peptide-based molecules to clinical trials and on to the market.

“This deal with Mimotopes fits with Phylogica’s approach of forming strategic partnerships that will increase the commercial and therapeutic value of our peptide drug candidates through the adoption of new technologies,” Dr Stewart Washer, Chief Executive Officer of Phylogica, said.