AGI 'Breakthroughs' Presented at Society of Investigative Dermatology Meeting May 4-7; DNA Repair Potential in Renal Transplant and Polymorphous Light Eruption Patients.

FREEPORT, N.Y. -- President of AGI Daniel Yarosh, Ph.D., to Present Findings May 16th at 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin, Vienna

Applied Genetics Inc. (AGI) Dermatics, a world leader in DNA repair technology, announced today that two important papers that underscore AGI's breakthrough drug Dimericine and its DNA repair potential will be presented at the Society of Investigative Dermatology Annual Meeting, May 4-7, St. Louis, Mo. This meeting is considered to be the preeminent gathering of world-class dermatology researchers, with findings presented here embraced by the scientific and dermatology community. Dimericine is a biotech cream to repair the skin's DNA, currently in clinical trials.

President of AGI Daniel B. Yarosh, inventor of the DNA repair enzyme treatment, says, "These two papers demonstrate the keystone role of DNA repair in protecting the skin, and they emphasize that inadequate DNA repair has great consequences, including skin diseases and even skin cancer. The papers also illustrate the great promise of AGI's DNA repair technology, which can benefit not only patients with deficient repair, but also help otherwise normal people exceptionally sensitive to the sun. Our continued clinical testing of Dimericine may soon provide a new tool to prevent sun damage even after exposure."

Presenting an overview of a paper entitled, "Immunosuppressive drugs that inhibit calcineurin decrease DNA repair and reduce apoptosis after UVB exposure in human keratinocytes," to be published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, AGI Senior Scientist Matthew Canning will discuss the rationale for the use of Dimericine in clinical trials for renal transplants patients. Initial findings show that immunosuppressive drugs used by renal transplant patients inhibit DNA repair of UV damage. This may explain why they have such a high risk of skin cancer, estimated to impact at least 35 percent of renal transplants patients within 10 years of their transplant.

The paper will also explain how these results raise considerable concern for the topical use in eczema of the same drugs, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, used to prevent renal transplant rejection. In fact, the FDA has recently issued a "black box" warning for products containing these drugs concerning their potential for increasing cancer risk.

Dr.Yarosh will be presenting the results of this latest research at the upcoming 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin Care, to be held at the Medical University of Vienna, May 13-16 in Vienna, Austria. His presentation is set for May 16.

AGI technology advances will also be highlighted at the St. Louis meeting in a paper prepared by Angelika Hofer, and her colleagues in the Department of Dermatology at the Medical University of Graz Austria, entitled, "Topical DNA repair enzymes can prevent polymorphous light eruption." In her presentation, she will explain their clinical studies of patients with the common disease Polymorphous Light Eruption (PLE), an allergy to light, in which they found that treatment with a sunscreen product containing AGI's liposomal DNA repair enzymes for solar UV damage lessened the patients' symptoms as compared to those who used sunscreen alone. She will explain the conclusion that DNA damage is a trigger of PLE and that the use of sun care preparations containing DNA repair enzymes may be clinically useful for those with PLE.

ABOUT APPLIED GENETICS INC. DERMATICS

AGI Dermatics is the world leader in DNA repair technology. The Company develops new molecular biology technology for photoaging and skin cancer prevention. These products are based on the Company's proprietary drug delivery technology centered on liposomes for skin. AGI Dermatics is commercializing products that repair DNA and restore health that has been damaged by age or the environment, tracking the demands of our changing demographics. Ingredients made by AGI Dermatics are found in hundreds of prestige products sold by the major cosmetic companies around the world. For answers to questions concerning AGI Dermatics and its science, please visit its website at http://www.agiderm.com.