Evidence for a New Genetic Link to Therapeutic Efficacy for Alzheimer's Disease

Study to be presented at the 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's
Disease

BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Accera, Inc., a biotechnology
company delivering breakthrough therapies in central nervous system diseases,
today announced further evidence for genetic interactions impacting the
efficacy of the ketogenic compound AC-1202 (Axona(TM)) in Alzheimer's disease.
New data from the company's previously completed double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease
demonstrates an interaction between two genetic markers that strongly
influence the therapeutic response in patients. Dr. Samuel Henderson,
Executive Director of Research, will present these results at the 2009
International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) sponsored by the
Alzheimer's Association.

During this study, patients received daily administration of either AC-1202 or
placebo for 90 days, with efficacy assessments performed at Baseline (Day 0),
Day 45, Day 90 and after a two week washout from their assigned product on Day
104. In addition, analyses of a number of genotypic markers judged to be
relevant to the physiological background of Alzheimer's disease were also
performed.

Previous analysis of the study revealed that patients administered AC-1202 who
lacked the epsilon 4 variant of the APOE gene (E4(-)), demonstrated
significant improvement from baseline values in the Alzheimer's Disease
Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) and improvement compared to placebo of
4.77 at Day 45 and 3.36 at Day 90 (p <0.05). ADAS-Cog, a neuropsychometric
battery of tests that measures short-term memory and cognition, is probably
the most widely used cognitive instrument used in clinical trials of
anti-dementia drugs within the United States and Europe. Numerous clinical
studies have demonstrated that modest improvements in ADAS-cog scores - on the
order of 2 to 3 points over the course of a year - have been associated with
significant cost reductions in overall managed care expenditures.

To further investigate pharmacogenomic responses of AC-1202 in AD, the effects
of APOE4 carriage status and a polymorphism (IDE_7) in the insulin degrading
enzyme gene (IDE) on ADAS-Cog scores were evaluated over the study course. In
addition to degrading insulin, the Ide protein also degrades amyloid beta
peptide and has been implicated in playing a role in Alzheimer's disease.

In the population of patients who were both APOE4(-) and lacked the C/C
polymorphism in IDE 7, more pronounced improvements in ADAS-cog scores than
those previously reported were observed at each assessment time point (Day 45,
90 and 104). At Day 45 the improvement in ADAS-cog score was 4.18 (p=0.0004),
while at Day 90 the difference was 4.73 (p=0.001). Of interest, a significant
difference in cognitive test scores of 3.27 was observed two weeks after
termination of AC-1202 treatment (p=0.034). This finding suggests that daily
administration of AC-1202 may produce lasting effects in those patients with
this combination of genotypic markers.

The combination of the E4(-); IDE_7(C/C)(-) genotype is prevalent in
approximately 40% of the AD population, so the number of potential responder
patients is substantial.

"This pharmacogenomic finding provides both insight into the mechanism of
ketone-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease, and also allows for the
identification of patients who may respond best to therapy, " said Dr. Samuel
Henderson, Research Director at Accera. "This is the first scientific report
of the role of IDE and its interaction with APOE on therapeutic efficacy in
Alzheimer's disease patients."

The study results will be presented on Wednesday, July 15 under the title,
"Evidence of an Interaction Between APOE and IDE in Ketone Body Therapies in
Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease." The conference is being held in
Vienna, Austria at the Messe Wien Exhibition and Congress Center.

About Axona(TM)
Axona is a first-in-class medical food for the clinical dietary management of
the metabolic processes associated with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.
Dispensed by prescription, Axona targets the metabolic deficiencies and
imbalances associated with Alzheimer's disease by providing an alternative
energy source for brain cells. With simple administration and once-a-day
convenience, Axona is complementary to current Alzheimer's disease therapies.
For more information about Axona, please visit www.about-axona.com or ask your
physician.

About Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is a progressive and
fatal disease for which there is no cure. In the United States, 5.2 million
people are living with AD, and it has become the sixth leading cause of death.
The disease attacks the brain's cells, resulting in loss of memory, executive
function and language skills.

AD significantly impacts millions of family members and other caregivers -
mentally, physically and financially. The national Family Caregiver Alliance
estimates that approximately 80 percent of caregivers provide unpaid
assistance seven days a week. With the lack of innovative new medications for
AD, both patients and caregivers are seeking alternatives to improve quality
of life.

About Accera, Inc.
Accera, Inc. is a privately held commercial-stage biotechnology company that
developed and now markets Axona in the US. Axona is a prescription-only
medical food intended for the clinical dietary management of the metabolic
processes associated with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. In clinical
trials, Axona has been shown to safely improve cognitive function and memory
in AD patients. Axona addresses the hypometabolism or defective metabolism of
glucose that occurs in those areas of the brain that are involved in
Alzheimer's disease. Accera engages in research, development and
commercialization of other clinical applications for Axona.

For more information about Accera, please visit www.accerapharma.com.

Contacts:
Accera, Inc.
Steve Orndorff, Ph.D.
President and CEO
sorndorff@accerapharma.com

Richard Lewis Communications, Inc.
(212) 827-0020
Andrew Mielach, Media
amielach@rlcinc.com
Cecelia Heer, Investors
cheer@rlcinc.com

SOURCE Accera, Inc.

Steve Orndorff, Ph.D., President and CEO of Accera, Inc. ,
sorndorff@accerapharma.com; or Media, Andrew Mielach, amielach@rlcinc.com, or
Investors, Cecelia Heer, cheer@rlcinc.com, both of Richard Lewis
Communications, Inc. , +1-212-827-0020, for Accera, Inc.