Bionutrics, Inc. Granted US Patent For Novel Tocotrienol-Niacin Composition.

Business Editors

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 30, 2000

Bionutrics, Inc., (Nasdaq: BNRX) announced today that on November 7, 2000 the United States Patent Office issued a new patent (US 6,143,770) to the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, LipoGenics, Inc.

This patent is for the composition of tocotrienol and niacin. Niacin and tocotrienols have differing methods of action concerning cardiovascular health and the combination of the two active compounds provides a novel approach to the prevention or management of cardiovascular disease.

On November 13, 2000, Reuters reported that research by Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) demonstrated that patients who took niacin plus the statin drug, simvastatin (Zocor(R)), designed to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, experienced plunging cholesterol levels. After three years on the combination therapy, fatty buildups in the patients' arteries had stopped growing and they were 70 percent less likely than patients taking dummy pills to have a heart attack or other heart "events" such as stroke or the need to have heart bypass surgery, researchers said. The report further stated that the combination of simvastatin and niacin suggested a reduction of between 60 and 90 percent of non-fatal heart attacks -- which points to a synergistic effect between the two.

LipoGenics' president, Howard Schneider, Ph.D., noted "The value of statins to cardiovascular health is well understood. Now, with the findings of recent research an appreciation of the benefit of niacin is increasing. Niacin in combination with tocotrienol has the interesting synergistic potential of addressing inflammatory components of cardiovascular disease and growth of arterial plaque, as well as elevated cholesterol levels. Our Company has further patented technology for the amelioration of flushing often associated with niacin use. There is, of course, considerable research yet to be conducted to confirm the ultimate potential of Company's newly patented composition."

Bionutrics Chairman and CEO, Ronald H. Lane, Ph.D., remarked: "The significance of niacin as a treatment for elevated cholesterol and its application to diabetic "Syndrome X" is gaining credence within the medical community. The combination of niacin and tocotrienols as a method of addressing pathologic events associated with cardiovascular disease holds promise for Bionutrics."

Bionutrics is a biopharmaceutical company founded to discover and develop novel biologically active compounds derived from natural sources. Natural, biologically active compounds have potential applications as functional nutrition ingredients as well as ethical drugs. Bionutrics is presently developing proprietary functional nutrition ingredients and pharmaceutical products and intends to market these products through strategic alliances.

"Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains forward looking statements that are subject to the risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product demand and market acceptance, new product development, future research, reliance on key strategic alliances, availability of raw materials, the regulatory environment and governmental approval processes, fluctuations in operating results and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.