Animal Protocols Approved for In Vivo Pulmonary Inflammation Antisense Study.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2000

CytoGenix Inc. (CYGX) announced that the landmark research into controlling pulmonary inflammation with antisense technology is progressing into the animal testing phase with the approval of the animal protocols by Children's Research Institute at Ohio State University. The Sponsored Research Project entitled "Antisense Therapy in Hyperoxic Lung Injury" initiated with Stephen E. Welty, M.D. at Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center, Houston, is continuing at the Children's Research Institute of Ohio State University in Columbus where Dr. Welty recently joined the faculty.

"The approval of animal protocols for a new technology is a major step in a drug development program." Explains Dr. Malcolm Skolnick, CEO of CytoGenix. "An animal welfare committee must have a high confidence level that the tests will result in a high probability of data return and that the animal will be treated as humanely as possible. Consideration of a protocol and acceptance by an animal care committee are important elements in moving testing into clinical trials."

Dr. Welty is now ready to progress from successfully expressing the ISIS 2302 antisense sequence against the inflammation causing protein, ICAM (Intracellular Adhesion Molecule), in human cell lines (in vitro), to expressing the same sequence in animals (in vivo). Studies are designed to determine whether there is a reduction in lung injury in animals receiving treatment. Potential applications include a range of disorders that involve pulmonary inflammation including asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

The significance of successful results in animals is the proof of the effectiveness of the company's proprietary TroVec(TM) intracellular single stranded DNA (ssDNA) expression system. The introduction of sequence specific ssDNA molecules into cells in sufficient quantities to be effective is the critical element for Antisense therapy as well as the additional pharmacogenomic applications of Triplex, Aptamer and Catalytic DNA. All these therapeutic applications are ways of reducing or eliminating the production of harmful proteins by interrupting genetic communication within the cells.

"The company's TroVec(TM) and EnzSyn(TM) expression systems can potentially be used to treat conditions or diseases caused by production of a harmful protein," explains CytoGenix R&D Director, Dr. Jonathan Elliston. "Demonstration of the effectiveness of the TroVec(R) based treatment of lung inflammation opens the possibilities for treatment of other conditions where ICAM proteins are involved, such as the inflammation of nasal tissues in allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. This demonstration also reinforces the approach using antisense sequences to attack a host of other diseases."

"Successful animal studies are one of the major milestones on the road to moving from research to actual development of a product that can begin saving lives and reducing suffering in the human population," continued Dr. Elliston. "In addition, many of the various biotechnologies now being developed will go a long way toward improving agricultural and livestock production and quality. If more people are going to live longer, we have to feed them."

SAFE HARBOR: Except for statements of historical fact, the statements in this press release are forward-looking. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, risks associated with the acceptance of new products, competition, and other factors more fully detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Additional information about CytoGenix and its technology can be found on the Web site at www.cytogenix.com.