Alchemia (ACL)

Stock Code

ACL

Stock Exchange

Australian Securities Exchange

Alchemia (ACL) is a biotechnology company. The Company’s principal activities incorporate the development of carbohydrate-based molecules for therapeutic applications, based on its drug discovery and synthesis technologies. Alchemia was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange ASX on 23rd of December, 2003. Alchemia along with its subsidiaries is engaged in the research and development of new human pharmaceuticals. The Company’s manufacturing platform presents the opportunities for the production of synthetic and generic versions of existing carbohydrate drugs on massive scale and in a cost-effective and controlled way. Alchemia announced the positive preliminary efficacy data in April 2007, from the Phase II trial of HyCAMP, Alchemia Oncology’s formulation of the cytotoxic drug Camptosar (irinotecan) with hyaluronic acid (HA). The Company completed the acquisition of the Melbourne-based oncology company Meditech Research Limited, during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007.

Alchemia portfolio is a balanced combination of lower-risk near-term opportunity with generic fondaparinux and HA-irinotecan and longer-term opportunities from other HyACT drugs and its unique drug discovery engine, VASTTM.

ACL‘s Synthetic Heparin product is their most immediate and key project for revenue generation. The Company has applied its expertise in chemistry to the discovery and development of human therapeutic products. It holds a strong competitive advantage due to its manufacturing technology, strong patent protection until 2021 and the marketing strength of their partner American Pharmaceutical Partners (APP). ACL also greatly emphasis its novel VAST™ drug discovery technology which is likely to build their pipeline of future products.

Alchemia History

Alchemia was established in Brisbane Australia in 1995 as a biotech company focused on the discovery of commercial potential of carbohydrate therapeutics. The Company commenced Venture Capital raising, and developed proprietary carbohydrate technology, filing for patent protection with research facilities established in 1998.

Alchemia and The Dow Chemical Company formed a manufacturing alliance in 2000, for the large-scale Custom Contract Synthesis of novel or existing therapeutics for pharmaceutical applications. Alchemia listed on the ASX in 2003. In 2004, it completed the process development of generic fondaparinux at Alchemia laboratories, starting pilot scale production at Dow. The Company established a partnership with the Pain Research Group at the University of Queensland in 2005, to build new generation opioid-based pain treatments.

In 2006, ACL took over Melbourne based oncology company Meditech Research Limited, obtaining the cancer targeting HyACT drug delivery platform and the Phase II product HA-irinotecan. Meditech was renamed to Alchemia Oncology, with research facilities remaining in Melbourne. It also completed Pilot cGMP development of generic fondaparinux at Dow. It formed an alliance with the Belgian based drug discovery company Euroscreen s.a. to discover new drug candidates for g-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs).

Alchemia signed Dr Reddy's Laboratories Limited (NYSE: RDY) as its marketing partner in April 2007, for generic fondaparinux, giving the manufacturing rights to generic fondaparinux from Dow Pharmaceutical Inc. to Dr Reddy's. The Company also reported outstanding results from the HA-irinotecan Phase II clinical trial in May.