Clinical Programme Update

RNS Number:4424C
Phoqus Group plc
20 August 2007


                                        



   Phoqus appoints Patheon as Contract Manufacturer for Clinical Supplies of
                       Chronocort(TM) for Phase III Trials


West Malling, UK, 20 August 2007: Phoqus Group plc (AIM: PQS) ("Phoqus" or
"Company"), the specialty pharmaceuticals drug development company, today
announces that it has appointed Patheon UK Limited ("Patheon"), a Contract
Manufacturing Organisation ("CMO"), to undertake part of the manufacturing
process to produce tablets of Chronocort(TM) for the Phase III clinical trials
expected to commence during the first quarter of 2008 for both Adrenal
Insufficiency ("AI") and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia ("CAH"), subject to
regulatory approval.


In addition, Phoqus has started the process of identifying and selecting a CMO
partner for the future commercial manufacture of Chronocort(TM). Phoqus expects
that Chronocort(TM) could be available for launch in the CAH indication during
the fourth quarter of 2009.


Phoqus' CEO, Dr Richard Mason, commented:


"We are delighted to be working with Patheon, a leading global pharmaceutical
contract manufacturing organisation, who we selected through a competitive
process. The use of such high quality suppliers is part of Phoqus' plan to
optimise manufacturing operations as part of our overall strategy to maximise
the value of our lead programme Chronocort."



Enquiries:

Phoqus Group plc Tel: 01732 870227
Dr Richard Mason, CEO
Dr Peter Johnson, CFO

Financial Dynamics Tel: 020 7831 3113
David Yates/John Gilbert


Notes to Editors


About Chronocort(TM)


Chronocort(TM) is the first circadian endocrine treatment for congenital adrenal
hyperplasia ("CAH") and adrenal insufficiency ("AI"). Chronocort(TM) uses
Phoqus' proprietary Qtrol(TM) modified release technology to provide a delayed-
and-sustained release profile of hydrocortisone to mimic the natural over-night
and early morning hormone levels found in healthy individuals that are
considered important in controlling both actual disease symptoms and also
reducing unwanted side effects resulting from excess steroid treatment.


Chronocort(TM) has successfully completed a number of phase I clinical studies
and planning is underway for the full clinical development programme which
includes pivotal pre-registration studies in both CAH patients and patients
suffering from AI.


Phoqus appointed a medical advisory board at the beginning of 2007 comprising
leading endocrinologists from Europe and the USA to assist the Company in the
design of the clinical development programmes able to demonstrate patient
benefits and clinical superiority of Chronocort(TM) over existing therapies for
both CAH and AI.


Some of the underlying intellectual property supporting the Chronocort(TM)
product is licensed from Diurnal Limited, a spin-out from the University of
Sheffield financed by Biofusion plc. Phoqus and Diurnal collaborate on certain
aspects of Chronocort(TM)'s development.



About Phoqus


Phoqus is a speciality pharmaceuticals drug development company developing
secondary care products for patients with significant unmet medical needs
through the use of its proprietary drug delivery and re-formulation
technologies. These allow the company to change the pharmacokinetic profile of
drugs, either improving their therapeutic effect (efficacy and/or safety) in
existing indications, or to change their therapeutic effect so that they may
find use in new indications.


Phoqus' core capability is in oral drug delivery and it has combined its
technology platform with expertise in formulating tablets and tablet coat
powders to create a range of innovative and diverse drug delivery applications.
The Phoqus technology is protected by a substantial patent portfolio. Phoqus'
underlying technology platform is based upon electrostatic dry powder
deposition. This process deposits charged powder particles on to the surface of
a substrate with high precision.


Based in Kent, Phoqus was established in 1998 and was admitted to trading on AIM
in November 2005. It is listed under the symbol "PQS".


Further background on the Company can be found at www.phoqus.com.



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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