OncOptima, a New Service Offer Launched by PhenoPro and Oncodesign

Characterization and Validation of Genetically Engineered Mouse
Model for Targeted Therapies in Cancer
ILLKIRCH, France & DIJON, France--(Business Wire)--
PhenoPro (Illkirch, France) and Oncodesign (Dijon, France)
announced today their alliance to develop and market "OncOptima". This
new joint service integrates the design, the characterization, and the
validation of genetically engineered mouse models to evaluate targeted
therapies in cancer. This unique partnership combines PhenoPro's broad
capabilities and in-depth expertise in mouse model phenotyping, with
Oncodesign leadership in preclinical services for translational
research in cancer.

OncOptima will provide a comprehensive characterization, including
functional, morphological and pharmacological phenotyping. The goal is
to obtain validated models corresponding to the targeted therapies in
development. Through expertise and technology of both platforms
(including MRI, PET, cardio-echography...) it will be easier to
further develop preclinical programs and determine the best
drug/patient selection in early clinical phases.

Offering state of the art mouse model phenotyping,
pharmaco-phenotyping and in vivo pharmaco-imaging, OncOptima will
benefit to Biopharmaceutical and Biomedical companies by enhancing the
bridging of discovery and clinical development of anti-cancer drugs.

"OncOptima turns PhenoPro's commitment to develop and provide
services for biomedical and biopharmaceutical translational research
into reality," said Frederic Allemand, Head of Operations and
Corporate Development for PhenoPro. "This opportunity to partner with
Oncodesign will simplify the management of projects, usualy performed
independently without taking into consideration the specific
contraints".

Philippe Genne, Oncodesign CEO, added "OncOptima is the
complementary tool to optimize translational research of targeted
therapies. Being able to use transgenic models, properly validated
throughout PhenoPro expertise, for pharmacological studies is a great
challenge, and will allow to combine genetic and pharmacology to
better defined the treatment/patient selection".

About Oncodesign

Founded in 1995 in Dijon, Oncodesign is a leader in preclinical
and translational evaluation of anti-cancer therapies. With services
ranging from rapid in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept studies to
mechanistic and translational studies, Oncodesign has worked with over
200 biopharmaceutical companies worldwide and conducted more than 1000
studies. Its unrivalled technological platform, which includes MRI and
PET imaging facilities, together with an extensive choice of tumor
models, positions molecules into the most efficient development
programs. Its pharmacological-based "Qualifying Approach", creates a
continuum between targets, molecules, experimental cellular and animal
models, and human patients.

About PhenoPro

PhenoPro was founded in September 2007 as a spinout of the Mouse
Clinical Institute (Illkirch, France), one of the prime research
institutes in mouse genetic engineering and mouse model phenotyping
worldwide. The company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Economic Interest Group European Research Center in Biology and
Medicine (Illkirch, France), offers a broad array of mouse models
phenotyping capabilities and phenogenomics expertise in biomedicine to
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies involved in translational
biopharmaceutical and biomedical research, to understand disease
mechanisms, validate drug targets and identify potential indications
and side effects of candidate drugs.

Oncodesign
Cyril Berthet
Scientific Relation Associate Director
cberthet@oncodesign.com
+ 33 (0)3 80 78 82 60
or
PhenoPro
Frederic Allemand
Head of Operations and Corporate Development
Frederic.allemand@phenopro.com
+33 (0)6 31 74 35 02
or
Media Inquiries:
contact@oncoptima.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008