Sigma-Aldrich grants Pfizer license to use ddRNAi

January 4, 2007

Sigma-Aldrich has announced that it has granted Pfizer a worldwide

non-exclusive research license to utilize DNA-directed RNAi (ddRNAi)

technology. Applications of the ddRNAi technology for research

activities have been licensed exclusively by Sigma- Aldrich from

Benitec Limited of Australia.

This research license provides Pfizer with freedom to use ddRNAi in

undertaking research activities throughout its global operations.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Shaf Yousaf, President of the Sigma-Aldrich Research Biotechnology

business unit, said, " ddRNAi has important research applications and

future potential for therapeutic development. Following our research

collaboration with The RNAi Consortium licenses to key RNAi

intellectual property, Sigma- Aldrich has an intellectual property

portfolio in RNAi that positions us well for a comprehensive out-

licensing program as well as market leadership in RNAi research

reagents. "

The use of ddRNAi to develop therapeutics is recognized as having a

number of critical advantages available over alternative RNAi and

other gene silencing technologies. These include the wide range of

technologies to deliver the ddRNAi molecules into the target cell;

the critical ability to simultaneously disable multiple genes in

order to attack mutating viral diseases and cancers; the ability to

silence genes in whole organisms; and the ability to control the

expression and timing of gene silencing, particularly important to

the development of drugs for the pharmaceutical industry.

Sigma-Aldrich is the worldwide exclusive licensee in the human field

of ddRNAi technology, excluding the development of ddRNAi as a human

therapeutic, of patents owned or co-owned by Benitec and

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)

of Australia. With CSIRO, Benitec holds the only issued patents in

the U.S. and UK covering RNAi in mammalian cells, currently seven

issued patents in five jurisdictions, including the U.S., UK and

Australia. Another 65 other RNAi-based patent applications are in

advanced stages of prosecution in 14 other jurisdictions.

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