Ferrets Stock to Watch: APOLLO LIFE SCIENCES LTD09:11, Thursday,...

Ferrets Stock to Watch: APOLLO LIFE SCIENCES LTD
09:11, Thursday, 19 October 2006

ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH FOR LOCAL BIOTECH COMPANY

Sydney - Thursday - October 19: (RWE Australian Business News)
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OVERVIEW
********

Apollo Life Sciences Ltd (ASX:AOP) earlier this week reported a
fresh research breakthrough, not content to rest its laurels in
developing a needle-free insulin for diabetics last month.

The company's latest news revolves around its Tumour Necrosis
Factor (TNF) blocker, ALS-00T2, which it claims outperforms market
leaders in comparative preclinical studies with etanercept, infliximab
and adalimumab.

The studies indicate Apollo's proprietary TNF blocker generates
fewer antibodies, and reduces inflammation at least as effectively as the
other anti-TNF molecules when injected subcutaneously or delivered
transdermally through the skin using Apollo's TransD technology.

The TNF blocker market is estimated to be worth over $US8.5
billion annually, with a growth rate of 30 per cent.

TNF blockers are used to treat inflammatory diseases such as
psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Apollo is preparing to enter Phase 2 clinical trials for its
ALS-00T2 topical psoriasis treatment, having successfully completed
Phase 1b trials earlier this year.

A topical rheumatoid arthritis treatment that uses the same
technology is also being prepared for clinical trials.

Meanwhile a series of animal studies was conducted to compare
Apollo's human cell expressed (hcx) TNF blocker with three major products
currently available for its ability to reduce inflammation.

Inflammation was induced using Carrageenan, and solutions were
applied then and daily, either by subcutaneous injection or topically
using TransD.

Swelling was measured twice daily over a period of up to 14
days.

This animal model is commonly used to study cellular accumulation
during the induction of the inflammatory process.

The results indicated that ALS-00T2 is at least as effective as
the existing products at reducing swelling in this model when
administered by injection or topically.

The studies confirmed earlier findings that ALS-00T2 is
effective at reducing inflammation, and that Apollo's transdermal
delivery technology, TransD, delivers biologically active large proteins
and antibodies across the skin.

SHARE PRICE MOVEMENTS
*********************

Shares of Apollo yesterday rose 6c to 55c. Rolling high for the
year was 85c and low 30c. The company has 64.3 million shares on issue
with a market cap of $35.3 million.

Last month, Apollo Life Sciences rolled out the possibility of
needle-free insulin for diabetes treatment.

The company suggested this was a major breakthrough by
successfully lowering blood glucose levels in diabetic rats with oral
insulin, using its proprietary oral delivery technology, Oradel.

Currently, people with diabetes can require up to 1,500 insulin
injections a year to manage their condition.

Diabetes affects almost one million Australians, and 100,000
people develop the disease annually.

Results from a series of preclinical studies indicate that
Apollo's oral delivery technology, Oradel, successfully delivers generic
insulin to diabetic rats, significantly lowering blood glucose levels for
a sustained period of time with a single dose.

Oral feeding of diabetic rats with Oradel insulin resulted in
reduction in blood glucose levels in responder animals of up to 80 per
cent which persisted for longer than six hours.

In these studies, the oral insulin formulation was administered
once daily to diabetic rats, and blood glucose levels were measured at
one- or two-hour intervals over an extended period.

BACKGROUND
**********

Apollo Life Sciences was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange
on June 29, 2005.

The company focused on developing and commercialising human
proteins for treatment of disease and ageing.

It also has a number of therapeutic products currently in
development.

Apollo Life is developing therapeutics to combat such diseases as
Psoriasis, Hepatitis C, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Alzheimer's and strokes.

It has also conducted preliminary work on proteins that target
Hepatitis B, HIV, Dementia, Parkinson's disease and certain types of
cancer.

Apollo is in the pre-clinical stages of testing products for hair
regrowth, hair removal and skin rejuvenation.

The company offers research reagents to scientists for pure and
applied biological experiments which it believes are are more suitable
for research because of their human-like properties.

ENDS

Copyright © 2006 RWE Australian Business News. All rights reserved.