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Cellzome Inc

GlaxoSmithKline and Cellzome Announce Major Strategic Alliance

LONDON and CAMBRIDGE, England and PHILADELPHIA and HEIDELBERG,
Germany, September 10 (ots/PRNewswire)

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- Kinobeads(TM) Technology to Identify a New Generation of Drug
Candidates for Inflammatory Diseases
Cellzome Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline (LSE & NYSE: GSK) announce the
signing of a worldwide strategic alliance to discover, develop and
market novel kinase-targeted therapeutics to treat inflammatory
diseases.
The alliance gives GSK access to Cellzome's significant expertise
in identifying and developing selective kinase inhibitors and its
proprietary Kinobeads(TM) technology which, by screening compounds in
a physiological setting, is designed to improve the predictability of
these drug candidates' performance in clinical testing. Kinases are
key molecular switches in cellular signaling events with a central
role in many inflammatory responses and selective inhibitors offer a
different approach to therapeutic intervention in diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.
Under the agreement GSK has exclusive options to license drug
candidates from Cellzome's kinase programs directed against four
identified targets, and three additional targets to be jointly
identified by both parties. In the alliance, Cellzome will utilize
its proprietary Kinobeads(TM) technology to discover novel small
molecule inhibitors of these targets, and then will develop the most
promising product candidates through to completion of a clinical
proof of concept trial, unless GSK elects to exercise its option
earlier. Cellzome is eligible to receive success-based milestones
from GSK as product candidates are advanced. Upon Cellzome's
achievement of clinical proof of concept for a product candidate for
a particular kinase target, GSK would have an exclusive option to
license all product candidates from that program. GSK would then
assume full responsibility for further clinical development and
commercialization on a worldwide basis. Cellzome retains the right to
continue the development and commercialization of drug candidates if
GSK chooses not to exercise its option to that program.
Under the terms of the agreement, Cellzome will receive upfront
payments of GBP14.4 million comprised of both cash and equity.
Cellzome is eligible for up to GBP118 million per program in
potential development, regulatory and commercial milestones and up to
double digit royalties on net sales of products resulting from the
alliance.
Jose Carlos Gutierrez-Ramos, Ph.D, Senior Vice President and Head
of the Immuno-Inflammation Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery of
GSK said: "GSK is committed to becoming a world leader in
immuno-inflammation drug discovery by finding transformative
medicines through internal efforts and external collaborations. We
are excited to be working with Cellzome to discover and develop
improved approaches to existing biologic therapies which cannot
access intracellular signaling mechanisms. Cellzome's Kinobeads(TM)
technology will provide a distinct advantage because it uses native
kinases directly isolated from human cells and tissues."
Tim Edwards, CEO of Cellzome, said: "We are very pleased to begin
a strategic alliance with GSK, one of the world's leading
pharmaceutical R&D companies. This alliance is a significant
endorsement of our leading Kinobeads(TM) technology, programs and
people. It is a major event in Cellzome's development, giving us the
opportunity to broaden our pipeline and progress several kinase
programs towards the clinic, ultimately for the benefit of patients."
About Cellzome Inc.
Cellzome is a privately-owned drug discovery company identifying
a new generation of kinase-targeted drugs to treat inflammatory
diseases. Its pipeline of small-molecule therapeutics is driven by
Kinobeads(TM), a proprietary technology for screening and profiling
kinases in relevant cells and tissues.
Cellzome is applying its distinctive Kinobeads(TM) technology to
the discovery and development of innovative small-molecule kinase
inhibitors targeting key inflammatory mediators such as PI3Kg and d,
Zap-70, Jak3 and mTOR, as potential oral therapeutics for rheumatoid
arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis
and asthma.
In addition to the GSK collaboration, Cellzome has an alliance
with Johnson & Johnson focused on the discovery of novel medicines
for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Cellzome's holding company
is domiciled in the US and it employs about 90 people at its two
operating subsidiaries in Cambridge, UK and Heidelberg, Germany. To
learn more about Cellzome, please visit the website:
http://www.cellzome.com.
About GlaxoSmithKline (LSE & NYSE: GSK)
GlaxoSmithKline - one of the world's leading research-based
pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving
the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better
and live longer. For detailed company information, see
GlaxoSmithKline's website: http://www.gsk.com.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
Under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, GSK cautions investors that any
forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including
those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected. Factors that may affect GSK' s operations are
described under 'Risk Factors' in the 'Business Review' in the
company' s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2007.
About Kinases
Kinases are important enzymes because they are responsible for
either activating or inhibiting proteins within cell signaling
pathways. As a result of their importance, approximately 30% of
current discovery and development spending focuses on kinases,
especially in the fields of oncology, inflammation and metabolic
diseases. Despite this level of interest and research, only 8 small
molecule kinase inhibitors have so far reached the market, all of
them targeting oncology indications.
    For further information please contact:
    Cellzome Enquiries:
    Cellzome Inc., Cellzome Limited and Cellzome AG
    Tim Edwards
    Chief Executive Officer
    +49(0)6221-137-57-100
     press@cellzome.com
    Media Contact for Cellzome
    The Hogarth Partnership
    Sarah MacLeod
    +44(0)207-357-9477
     smacleod@hogarthpr.co.uk
    GSK Enquiries:
    UK Media enquiries:            Philip Thomson      +44(0)20-8047-5502
                                   Claire Brough       +44(0)20-8047-5502
                                   Alice Hunt          +44(0)20-8047-5502
                                   Gwenan White        +44(0)20-8047-5502
    US Media enquiries             Nancy Pekarek       +1-215-751-7709
                                   Mary Anne Rhyne     +1-919-483-2839
                                   Sarah Alspach       +1-215-751-7709
    European Analyst/Investor      David Mawdsley      +44(0)20-8047-5564
    enquiries:
                                   Sally Ferguson      +44(0)20-8047-5543
                                   Gary Davies         +44(0)20-8047-5503
    US Analyst/ Investor
    enquiries:                     Frank Murdolo       +1-215-751-7002
                                   Tom Curry           +1-215-751-5419

Contact:

For further information please contact:, Cellzome Enquiries:,
Cellzome Inc., Cellzome Limited and Cellzome AG, Tim Edwards, Chief
Executive Officer, +49(0)6221-137-57-100, press@cellzome.com; Media
Contact for Cellzome, The Hogarth Partnership, Sarah MacLeod,
+44(0)207-357-9477, smacleod@hogarthpr.co.uk; GSK Enquiries: UK Media
enquiries: Philip Thomson, +44(0)20-8047-5502; Claire Brough,
+44(0)20-8047-5502; Alice Hunt, +44(0)20-8047-5502; Gwenan White,
+44(0)20-8047-5502; US Media enquiries, Nancy Pekarek,
+1-215-751-7709; Mary Anne Rhyne, +1-919-483-2839;,Sarah Alspach,
+1-215-751-7709; European Analyst/Investor, David Mawdsley,
+44(0)20-8047-5564, enquiries:,Sally Ferguson, +44(0)20-8047-5543;
Gary Davies, +44(0)20-8047-5503; US Analyst/ Investor, enquiries:
Frank Murdolo, +1-215-751-7002; Tom Curry, +1-215-751-5419