Orion Genomics Enters Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement to Advance Personalized Diagnostics

Orion Genomics Enters Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement to Advance
Personalized Diagnostics

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Orion Genomics today announced that it has
entered into a multi-year collaboration and license agreement with the
molecular diagnostics unit of Novartis Pharma AG. Under the collaboration, the
parties seek to discover novel epigenetic biomarkers, and both parties have
rights to independently develop and commercialize diagnostic products in their
respective fields. Under the terms of the agreement, Orion Genomics also
grants Novartis non-exclusive world-wide rights to its proprietary
MethylScreen clinical assay technology. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Epigenetic changes can play a key role in certain disease biology, and could
lead to the development of important new diagnostic tools," said Nathan D.
Lakey, President and CEO of Orion Genomics. "Ultimately, our collaboration
with Novartis Molecular Diagnostics aims to support the development of
innovative tests which we hope will provide physicians and patients with
better information to guide treatment decisions."

The collaboration will leverage Orion Genomics' MethylScope® Technology to
build high-resolution genome-wide DNA methylation maps for the discovery of
epigenetic biomarkers in multiple disease fields. Novartis also obtains a
non-exclusive license to MethylScreen® Technology, Orion's PCR-based clinical
assay platform that quantitatively detects epigenetic biomarkers in patient
samples. Under the agreement, Orion and Novartis intend to develop and
commercialize promising diagnostic products that address various stages of
disease. Resulting diagnostic tests could lead to advances in personalized
medicine, potentially helping doctors optimize the treatment of patients.

"Science is revealing that epigenetics is a potent driver of disease biology
and therapeutic response and a potential linchpin in the efforts to make
personalized medicine a reality," said Howard McLeod, Professor of Medicine
and Pharmacy and Director of the University of North Carolina Institute for
Individualized Therapy. "As we consider how to optimize the use of the
healthcare dollar, leveraging personalized medicine tools such as epigenetics
to do a better job of matching individual patients with effective therapies
will become ever more important."

Orion Genomics' MethylScope and MethylScreen technologies are used to discover
and validate epigenetic biomarkers, which are changes to a layer of
information written on top of the DNA molecule in the form of DNA methylation.
DNA methylation controls whether or not a gene is turned on or off, also
called gene-silencing. Epigenetic changes can be associated with disease risk,
disease progression, and response to therapy.

About Orion Genomics

Orion Genomics, the Second Code Company, develops epigenetic research tools
and molecular diagnostic products to fulfill the promise of personalized
medicine. Orion's lead product is a simple blood-based test being developed to
identify people at elevated risk for colorectal cancer. The company has
active biomarker discovery programs in cancers of the bladder, breast, lung,
ovaries and colon, and the company offers genomics services to the medical and
agricultural and bio-fuels research communities. Orion Genomics is located in
the Center for Emerging Technologies in St. Louis. For more information, visit
the Orion Genomics website at http://www.oriongenomics.com.

SOURCE Orion Genomics

Carolyn Hawley of Porter Novelli Life Sciences, +1-619-849-5375,
chawley@pnlifesciences.com, for Orion Genomics