Metabolon Announces Grant Program

Academic and Government Researchers Selected to Receive Metabolomic Analysis
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(Business Wire)--
Metabolon, Inc., the leader in metabolomics-driven biomarker discovery and
analysis, today announced the launch of the Metabolomics Research Grant program.
The program, designed to help promote and expand metabolomics as a tool for
academic and government investigators as well as encourage novel, high-quality
research publications, offers grants to qualified institutions to conduct global
biochemical profiling (metabolomics) studies. These studies provide mechanistic
insight into a variety of complex biological systems.

As one of the first Metabolon grant recipients, Bhanu Chandra Mulukutla, with
the University of Minnesota, will leverage the global profiling study to
investigate cellular biochemical changes in biopharmaceutical production. "This
metabolomic approach will immensely compliment our proteomic and transcriptomic
studies in probing for the changes between different metabolic states observed
in mammalian cell culture processes. We hope that this integrated omics approach
will allow us to identify cues which might be responsible for switching the
cells between these different metabolic states that effect productivity of
recombinant antibodies."

Metabolon will regularly select studies for the grant program based on the
scientific merit and impact of the proposed study. The grant can be applied
toward Metabolon`s mView metabolomics service and will cover some or all of the
cost of the service. Studies which are ideal for the program are designed to
investigate the biochemical changes in a complex biological system by comparing
relative changes in concentrations between two groups, control vs. treated,
normal vs. disease, wild-type vs. knock-out, or a time course.

The mView analysis results in the identification of hundreds of biochemicals in
a sample, including amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, cofactors, nucleosides,
and other metabolites. Using statistical analysis to compare groups, it is
possible to quickly pinpoint biochemical perturbations related to the
experiment-be it a drug, a disease state, a dietary change, or other
experimental variable.

John Ryals, chief executive at Metabolon, offered insight into the foundation of
the program. "We had originally launched our sponsored research program with the
intention of selecting one winner of a free global biochemical profiling study.
Our team was so impressed with the caliber of research being conducted and at
the utility we could provide to that research, that we created the Metabolon
Sponsored Research program. We are pleased to be able to continue our investment
in the academic community."

Organizations selected to participate in the inaugural round of the program
include the University of Oxford, University at Buffalo, Cancer Research UK and
the University of Minnesota.

To learn more about the Metabolon Sponsored Research program and the company`s
mView services, please visit www.metabolon.com\GrantProgram.

About Metabolon

Metabolon is a diagnostics and services company offering the industry`s leading
biochemical profiling platform. Metabolon`s patented platform provides a global
analysis of complex biological samples for the discovery of markers and pathways
associated with drug action and disease. This metabolomics-driven approach
enables the identification of biomarkers useful for the development of a wide
range of diagnostics and provides insight into complex biochemical processes
such as drug action, toxicology and bioprocess optimization. For more
information about Metabolon, please visit www.metabolon.com.

Metabolon, Inc.
Lorra Gosselin, 919-287-3380
lgosselin@metabolon.com
www.metabolon.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009