Interleukin Genetics and Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research Collaborate to Study Genetic Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases.

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 19, 2001

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILGN) announced today that it has entered into a research collaboration with Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research (CHR) in Portland, Ore., to study genetic risk factors for chronic diseases that are affected by inflammation. Knowledge resulting from this work will enable Interleukin Genetics to develop new diagnostic tools that physicians and health care organizations can use to assess their patients' genetic risks for many diseases.

Health care providers and health care organizations are constantly searching for tools to help their patients achieve more years of healthy life. Recent advances in genetics hold promise for achieving this goal. In particular, the study of common genetic variations provides a new way for physicians to identify at-risk patients so they can provide effective preventive care.

"We are pleased to announce our collaboration with one of the nation's premier health care research institutions," said Philip R. Reilly, MD, JD, CEO of Interleukin Genetics. "We believe this collaboration will be a catalyst for a new era in disease prevention, disease management, and health care resource management. The products resulting from this study will represent a new application of genetics and personalized medicine in the health care field. We hope to announce soon the first product that we will develop under this collaboration."

"The Center for Health Research is pleased to be investigating this important new phase of disease identification, prevention, and management," said Mary L. Durham, Director, Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research, and Vice President for Research, Kaiser Permanente. "We believe this research can lead to much-needed advances in our ability to identify people's disease risks so that physicians can provide the right preventive care to the right patients at the right time."

"Our two organizations complement each other's strengths," added Jonathan B. Brown, PhD, senior investigator at CHR and the study's principal investigator. "Genes probably predict half the diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses that kill most Americans and consume 80 percent of America's health care dollars. As a practical matter genes have been invisible to physicians and patients until very recently, so this work on identifying genetic risk factors is going to be very exciting."

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Interleukin

Interleukin Genetics is a pharmacogenetics company focused on a personalized approach to medicine. The company has identified a number of IL-1 genetic variations and established their role in several inflammatory diseases. The company develops and commercializes risk assessment and pharmacogenetic tests based on genetic factors that regulate control points in the inflammatory process and, through collaboration with others, applies genetics in the development of therapeutics. The company has a growing portfolio of patents covering the genetics of several diseases and is developing products addressing rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and complications of diabetes. The company markets PST(R), a risk assessment test for periodontal disease that is currently available in the U.S. and most of Europe.

About Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research

Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research (CHR), founded in 1964, is a not-for profit research institute that conducts public domain research to improve the health of all people and to inform health policy. CHR sets it research agenda, competes for funding from government and other sources, and publishes its research in peer-reviewed publications.

Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health care organization. Founded in 1945, it is a non-profit, group-practice prepayment program with headquarters in Oakland, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 8 million members in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

Participation in this collaboration by Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research (CHR) does not imply an endorsement, either by CHR or by Kaiser Permanente, of products that Interleukin Genetics may develop from this research.

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking" statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risk of market acceptance of Company products, ability of the Company to raise necessary capital, risk of technology and products obsolescence, delays in development of products, reliance on partners, competitive risks and those risks and uncertainties described in the Company's Form S-3 as amended, filed on March 5, 2001 (Commission file #333-56558), and the Company's Report on Form 8-K dated May 29, 2001, and in other filings made by the Company with Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.