Technest Holdings Subsidiary, Genex Technologies Awarded SBIR Contract by National Institutes of Health.

BOSTON -- Markland Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:MRKL) and its subsidiary Technest Holdings, Inc. (OTC BB:TCNH.OB), defense and homeland security companies transforming advanced laboratory technology into real-world products, announced today that Genex Technologies Inc. (www.genextech.com) has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a novel 3D technology to reconstruct the human intestinal canal in 3D from images captured by video capsule endoscopes.

NIH is the nation's medical research agency - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. The National Institutes of Health, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. It is composed of 27 institutes and centers which provide leadership and financial support to medical researchers in every state within the US.

Genex Technologies innovations in 3D image processing will allow for the reconstructed 3D shape obtained by these endoscopic capsules to help physicians locate the position of an intestinal lesion and measure its volume. Video capsule endoscopy is a new technology which revolutionizes the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Conventional endoscopy tests, such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy, are effective for the upper or lower digestive tract, but achieve very limited success in the 20 feet of small intestine where endoscopic instruments are hard to control and manipulate.

This new imaging technology will bring medical endoscopic intervention into a new era. To overcome current challenges, Genex is developing a novel 3D image processing technology which includes the following capabilities:

--Re-construction of the 3D shape of the intestinal canal from video sequences captured by video capsules.

--Post-processing software tools which will facilitate the storage and measurement of the reconstructed 3D shape.

--A simulation platform which can quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of the 3D algorithms.

Genex Technologies, Inc. has been providing innovative 3D products and services to customers within the National Institutes of Health since its inception in 1995.

About Markland Technologies

Markland Technologies, Inc. is committed to setting next-generation standards in defense and security through the provision of innovative emerging technologies and expert services. The Company is engaged in the identification of advanced technologies currently under development in laboratories, universities and in private industry, and in the transformation of those technologies into next-generation products. Markland's solutions support military, law enforcement and homeland security personnel to protect the nation's citizens, borders and critical infrastructure assets from the threat of terrorism and other dangers. Through strategic development, Markland focuses on the creation of dual-use technology and products with applications in both the defense market and civilian homeland security and law enforcement fields. The Company is a Board Member of the Homeland Security Industries Association, and is a featured Company on HomelandDefenseStocks.com; additional details can be viewed at http://www.homelanddefensestocks.com/Companies/MarklandTech. For more information about the Company and its products, please visit the Markland home page at http://www.marklandtech.com.

About Technest Holdings, Inc.

Technest Holdings, Inc. (OTC BB:TCNH.OB) is a provider of intelligent surveillance and advanced 3D imaging technology solutions to the defense and homeland security marketplaces. Technest is committed to setting next-generation standards in defense and security through the provision of innovative emerging technologies and expert services. Technest's solutions support military, law enforcement and homeland security personnel. Through strategic development, Technest focuses on the creation of dual-use technology and products with applications in both the defense market and civilian homeland security and law enforcement fields.

"Forward-Looking Statements"

Investors are cautioned that certain statements contained in this press release as well as some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements of Markland Technologies officers and directors during presentations about Markland Technologies, are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). Forward-looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, which include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," or similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible future actions, which may be provided by management, are also forward-looking statements as defined by the Act. Some of the factors that could significantly impact the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to: a reduction in order rates from the Army's Night Vision and Electronic Surveillance Directorate, insufficient cash flow to continue to fund the development and marketing of the Company's products and technology; a rejection of the Company's products and technologies by the marketplace, and; disputes as to the Company's intellectual property rights. Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and projections about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about Markland Technologies, its products, economic and market factors and the industries in which Markland Technologies does business, among other things. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and Markland Technologies has no specific intention to update these statements. More detailed information about those factors is contained in Markland Technologies filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.sec.gov/

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