Applied Genomics Paves the Way for Improved Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

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May 21, 2007 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Applied Genomics Paves the Way for Improved Prevention, Diagnosis, and

Treatment of Disease

Amphion Innovations plc Symposium Highlights “Building Market Value From The

World Of Geneticsâ€

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading authorities from the world of genetics

highlighted important new research, products and trends at Amphion Innovations

plc “Building Market Value From The World Of Genetics†symposium in New

York

City on May 15th. Amphion Innovations plc (LSE: AMP), a builder of companies

in life sciences and technology, brought together world-class expertise from

its Partner Companies to shed light on new developments that will help cure

disease while building value for shareholders.

The event, first in an annual series of Amphion symposiums, drew more than

100 scientists, business leaders and investors interested in learning how

applied genomics are paving the way for discoveries, in clinical medicine,

pharmaceuticals and nutrition, which were not possible a decade ago.

“We live during a breakthrough period in the understanding of genetics,â€

said C.E. , Amphion’s chief executive officer. “The

marketplace

is eager to see exciting new discoveries translated into commercial

diagnostics, treatments, and products that help people to live longer, more

productive

lives. Amphion’s Partner Companies, supported by our company building

expertise, are able to leverage these discoveries to improve the prevention,

detection, and treatment of diseases ranging from diabetes and obesity to

chronic

inflammation and deadly infections.â€

introduced a panel of Amphion Partner Company speakers who

demonstrated how their companies have applied genomics to improve and save lives

while

creating value for shareholders:

* Dr. Denning, CEO, Myconostica, Ltd. Dr. Denning is one of the

world’s leading experts on fungal infections. He currently leads an

international consortium sequencing the aspergillus fumigatus genome and is

also a

clinician at Wytheshawe Hospital in Manchester, UK.

* Mr. Zaki Hosny, CEO, Motif BioSciences, Inc. Mr. Hosny has more than

35 years in the global pharmaceutical industry working for Merck & Co. He

has held senior management positions in the United States and several European

countries in general management, marketing and government relations.

* Dr. Kathleen Mullinix, CEO WellGen, Inc. Dr. Mullinix has served as

the Vice Provost of Columbia University and has held two leadership positions

at the National Institute of Health. Prior to joining WellGen, she founded

Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corp.

Dr. Denning made the following points:

* Sequencing fungi provides insight into the basic biology of

organisms as well as wider aspects of biology, and it has commercial value by

enabling production of useful compounds, such as citric acid. Further, it helps

to

identify new genes for drug targets as well as enabling rapid disease

detection.

* Rapid detection of infectious diseases is often the difference

between life and death. With the rapid detection of infections provided by

Myconostica’s products, mortality rates can be reduced by as much as 25%.

* By extracting DNA and putting it into contact with a proprietary

molecular probe, Myconostica’s test will be able to detect deadly infections

in

fewer than four hours. The total market for the company’s tests for lethal

respiratory infections and candida could exceed $2 billion per year.

Mr. Hosny made the following points:

* Pharmaceutical companies are facing a huge challenge as more than

half of the top 100 selling drugs will soon come off patent.

* Population genetics is being used to effectively isolate certain

mutations that put people at risk for heart disease, type-2 diabetes and

autism.

The stakes for genetically validated drug targeting are extremely high as it

costs more than $1 billion to bring a new drug to market.

* By collecting and analyzing data from the homogenous populations of

the Arabian Gulf region, Motif BioSciences is able to quickly identify

patterns in mutation that, barring an impossibly high sample size, would not be

visible by studying more diverse populations.

Dr. Mullinix made the following points:

* There is astronomical growth in the functional foods market. It is

an $80 billion industry and growing as brands like Hershey, Nestle and Minute

Made are all marketing hugely successful functional food products that

promote health and wellness.

* Nutrigenomics, a science examining how certain food compounds affect

gene expression, is the next frontier in functional foods because it can

help answer the food industry’s calls for increased innovation.

* With proprietary food ingredients and a platform for screening

natural food byproducts for their effect on gene expression, WellGen is unique

in

its ability to help companies bring innovative products to market faster.

For more information on the subject matter that was discussed at the

symposium, or if you would like more information on Amphion Innovations and its

Partner Companies, please contact Josh Berkman or at 646-747-7158

or

646-747-7161, respectively. Email: _jberkman@.../_

(mailto:jberkman@.../) _nallen@..._ (mailto:nallen@...) .

About Amphion Innovations plc

Amphion Innovations plc is listed on the AIM Exchange in London under the

symbol AMP. Amphion's business is the formation, financing, management and

development of life sciences and technology companies, primarily in the US and

UK, working in partnership with corporations, governments, universities and

entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize their intellectual property. Amphion’s

management team has built more than 30 companies in 20 years, all of which have

achieved value in excess of $120 million.

On the web: _www.amphionplc.com_ (http://www.amphionplc.com/)

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