Bionomics’ Validates Third Cancer Application For Anti-Cancer Compound BNC105

Australian drug discovery company, Bionomics Limited (ASX: BNO), announced today that their latest findings indicate that BNC105 disrupts the vasculature in human prostate tumours grown in mice, expanding on its previously demonstrated preclinical efficacy in breast and colon cancers.

BNC105 is a new type of drug called a Vascular Disruption Agent (VDA) that acts to rapidly shut down the blood supply within a tumour. It thereby starves the tumour of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to survive. Animal model data has shown BNC105 to be effective in shutting down the blood vessels within human prostate tumours (see figure 1).

Chemotherapy is an option for patients whose prostate cancer has spread outside of the prostate gland and for whom hormone therapy has failed and BNC105 was found to be highly potent in inhibiting the growth of prostate cancer cells in laboratory testing (see table 1).

Further studies are in progress to establish the extent to which BNC105 suppresses the growth of human prostate tumours in animal models under an optimised treatment regime.

BNC105 is expected to enter clinical trials in late 2007, following submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the US FDA.

Vascular Disruption Agents have significant clinical potential in the treatment of cancer, as they may be applied across a very wide variety of cancer types. The market potential for VDAs is estimated at US$5 billion annually (ASInsights, 2003).

The prostate cancer market was estimated to be worth US$3 billion in 2006, with a growth rate of 5% year on year. It is one of the larger segments of the oncology market, alongside breast, non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancers. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in men in the US and the third most common cancer worldwide. More than two million men in the US suffer with prostate cancer and, the estimated number of new cases in the US in 2007 is 218,890, with an estimated 27,050 deaths (https:// espicom.com and http://cancer.gov).

Figure 1:

Image of a tumour from a mouse model of human prostate cancer. The image on the left is from an untreated mouse and shows a large number of blood vessels throughout the tissue. The image on the right is a tumour from a mouse treated with BNC105 and shows a dramatic shutting down of the blood supply to the tumour following a single intravenous injection of BNC105 at 40mg/kg.

Table 1:

Inhibition of prostate cancer cell line growth in culture

COMPOUND/

CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC Activity against Prostate Cancer Cells

IC50 (nM)
BNC105 0.1-1
Carboplatin >1,000
Cisplatin >1,000
Doxorubicin >100
5’Fluorouracil >1,000
Gemcitabine 1-10
Paclitaxel 1-10
Vinblastine 1-10
Vincristine 1-10

BNC105 inhibited prostate cancer cells at a lower concentration than the other cancer drugs tested.

About Bionomics Limited

Bionomics (ASX: BNO) discovers and develops innovative therapeutics for cancer and diseases of the central nervous system. Bionomics has small molecule product development programs in the areas of cancer, anxiety, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Bionomics' most advanced program, BNC105 for the treatment of cancer, is based upon the identification of a novel compound that potently and selectively restricts blood flow within tumours. Bionomics' discovery and development activities are driven by its three technology platforms: Angene®, the company's angiogenesis target and drug discovery platform, incorporates a variety of genomics tools to identify and validate novel angiogenesis targets. MultiCore® is Bionomics' proprietary, diversity orientated chemistry platform for the discovery of small molecule drugs. ionX® is a set of novel technologies for the identification of drugs targeting ion channels for diseases of the central nervous system. Bionomics was recently ranked in the top 10 in the Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 Australian technology companies.

For more information about Bionomics, visit www.bionomics.com.au

Factors Affecting Future Performance

This announcement contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the United States' Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements contained in this press release that relate to prospective events or developments, including, without limitation, statements made regarding BNC105 and its' drug development programs are deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "projects," "forecasts," "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by these forward looking statements, including risks related to our available funds or existing funding arrangements, a further downturn in our customers' markets, our failure to introduce new products or technologies in a timely manner, regulatory changes, risks related to our international operations, our inability to integrate acquired businesses and technologies into our existing business and to our competitive advantages, as well as other factors. Subject to the requirements of any applicable legislation or the listing rules of any stock exchange on which our securities are quoted, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this announcement.