OHF Awards Ixion Collaborators Research Grants.

Business Editors

ALACHUA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2000

The Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation recently awarded grants in the study of oxalate for $57,000 to Nigel Richards, PhD, and Chris Chang, PhD, of the University of Florida to study "Expression and Characterization of Oxalate Decarboxylase," and for $150,000 to Robert Freel, PhD, and Marguerite Hatch, PhD, of Northwestern to study "Intracellular Oxalate Concentration: Isotopic and Flurometric." Drs. Richards, Chang, and Hatch are all collaborators with Ixion Biotechnology in the oxalate area. Alachua, Fla.-based Ixion is the world's leader in developing diagnostic and prevention options for oxalate-related disorders, such as kidney stones, primary hyperoxaluria, Crohn's Disease, and cystic fibrosis.

Dr. Richards is a chemistry professor at the University of Florida, and Dr. Chang is a post-doctoral researcher in Dr. Richards's lab. Ixion's Chief Scientist Ammon B. Peck, PhD, a professor at the University of Florida, is a consultant. Drs. Freel and Hatch are a husband and wife team at Northwestern University Medical School. Dr. Hatch is a member of the Ixion Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Richards aims to determine the structure and mechanism of oxalate-metabolizing enzymes. "If successful, the work will provide an inexpensive supply of an oxalate-degrading enzyme from Aspergillus niger for clinical evaluation," said Richards, "and could be useful in the prophylactic treatment of kidney stones and in manufacturing polymer catheters resistant to calcium-oxalate encrustation."

Dr. Hatch said, "There is growing evidence that oxalate toxicity and renal cell injury may be due to ionized oxalic acid, independent of the damage caused by calcium oxalate crystals. A knowledge of intracellular oxalate concentration may reveal how oxalate triggers cellular damage, providing targets for therapies."

The OHF is a not-for-profit medical foundation dedicated to providing information, service, and support to medical professionals and patients and the families of those with oxalosis and hyperoxaluria.

Ixion has received four oxalate-related grants from the NIH in the last 18 months. The company also received the 2000 National Tibbetts Award for excellence in research. In addition to its work in oxalate, Ixion is developing cell therapy products to treat diabetes. For more information about Ixion, visit http:\\www.ixion-biotech.com or call 904/418-1428.

This news release includes forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, such as risks associated with pre-clinical and clinical development in the biotechnology industry, determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities, competitive factors, technological developments and costs of developing, producing and selling products.