Novosom Granted US and European Patents for RNAi-Delivering Smarticles(R)

Company will be presenting at BioEquity in Amsterdam and BIO2008
in San Diego
HALLE, Germany--(Business Wire)--
Novosom AG today announced that it has been granted patents for
both the USA and Europe for its Drug Delivery technology
Smarticles(R). Smarticles(R) are fully charge reversible liposomes for
the in vivo drug delivery of nucleotides like siRNA or antisense to
targeted cells. At the same time Novosom announced that it has been
selected to present at both BioEquity (May 28-29, 2008, Hotel Okura,
Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and the 2008 BIO Business Forum which
takes place during BIO2008 (June 17-20, 2008, San Diego Convention
Center, California, USA).

The US patent is entitled "Amphoteric liposomes and their use" and
the US patent number is US 7371404. At the same time, the European
Patent Office granted patent number EP 1363601 with the same title.

Elias Papatheodorou, CEO of Novosom, said, "We are delighted to be
granted these US and European patents for our world-class RNAi and
siRNA drug delivery sytem Smarticles(R). In addition to the patents
already granted Novosom, this forms a part of the strong intellectual
property position Novosom is building in the growing field of
nucleic-acid drugs based on RNA interference."

Steffen Panzner, Founder and CSO of Novosom also commented:
"Novosom's technology has been at the forefront of providing a safer,
more efficient delivery method available for in vivo delivery of
nucleotides to targeted cells. The broad grant of this family of
patents in key jurisdictions reflects the originality of our approach
in the field of oligonucleotide delivery. Both offices have accepted
wide claim language which secures comprehensive protection of the
amphoteric liposome concept irrespective of any chemical
representation for novosom AG and its licensees."

In March ProNAi, a collaboration partner of Novosom announced the
successful completion of the IND for the drug candidate PNT2258 which
uses the Smarticle(R) delivery technology for a novel class of
oligonucleotide therapeutics against multiple cancer types.

About Novosom AG

Novosom is working with its partners to develop unique antisense,
DNAi and siRNA based therapeutics with a current focus in
inflammation, oncology and liver diseases. Novosom's Smarticles(R)
liposomal vectors allow partners to deliver their active substance
(siRNA, antisense, decoy etc) inside the cell either for topical or
systemic applications. Smarticles are an enabler of systemic
treatments and an enhancer of topical treatments. The Company has
several active therapeutically-relevant collaborations in oncology and
inflammation. Novosom AG main investors include IBG
Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt mbH and MBG Mittelstaendische
Beteiligungs-gesellschaft Sachsen Anhalt.

Novosom AG is based in Halle, Gemany. For more information, please
visit: www.novosom.com.

Notes for editors:

siRNA (RNAi)

Post-transcriptional gene silencing also known as RNA interference
or RNAi, is a phenomenon in which genes are silenced in a
sequence-specific manner through targeted mRNA (messenger RNA)
degradation. Researchers believe small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) may
offer potential as a novel way to silence genes involved in disease,
including genes encoded by viruses such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
and HIV, as well as genes involved in the establishment of
inflammatory diseases and cancer.

SMARTICLES(R)

Novosom's liposomal formulations, termed SMARTICLES(R), are
charge-reversible particles that enable the targeted delivery of
oligonucleotides, plasmids and other materials directly into living
cells. SMARTICLES(R) are stable in blood and distribute in the same
manner as conventional liposomes. In contrast to conventional
liposomes, however, SMARTICLES(R) become positively charged when they
cross cell membranes, leading to effective delivery of their cargo
within cells. Sites of inflammation and tumors, along with liver and
spleen are primary targets for the SMARTICLES(R).

Novosom AG
Elias Papatheodorou
+49 (0)345 55 59 846
elias.papatheodorou@novosom.com
or
College Hill Life Sciences
Douglas Pretsell, Account Director
+49 (0)89 57 00 18 06
douglas.pretsell@collegehill.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008