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Xenomics Files U.S. Patent Covering Tr-DNA Detection of Malaria, Leishmaniasis and Other Parasite Infections

Posted on: Friday, 17 June 2005, 18:00 CDT

Xenomics, Inc. (OTCBB:XNOM), a developer of next-generation medical DNA technologies, announced today that it has filed a U.S. patent application demonstrating the effectiveness of its non-invasive Transrenal-DNA technology in the diagnosis of parasite-caused infectious diseases such as malaria and Leishmaniasis. Malaria and other parasite diseases infect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and kill millions each year, many of them children.

The Company has previously filed patents demonstrating Tr-DNA applications in viral infectious disease, such as HIV, and in bacterial disease, such as tuberculosis.

This is the 10th patent application Xenomics has filed in the past year as the Company continues its aggressive strategy of expansion and protection of its intellectual property portfolio.

Significantly, the new patent covering parasite disease demonstrates the ability of Xenomics' Tr-DNA technology to detect and diagnose the three major forms of infectious disease.

"This latest patent application further demonstrates the application of our Tr-DNA technology to assist in the global heath crisis of parasite illnesses," said Dr. Randy White, CEO of Xenomics. "Each year, 300 million acute cases of malaria are reported worldwide, and tragically, between 1.5 and 3 million will die from the disease, many of them young children in developing nations, who have inadequate access to health care. Tens of millions more are stricken or die from other serious parasite-borne infectious diseases, such as Leishmaniasis."

Leishmaniasis is a health threat in 88 countries worldwide, where millions of people are at risk from the disease, according to the CDC. The disease has also emerged as a serious problem for HIV/AIDS patients, in whom it is a common opportunistic co-infection.

Xenomics' non-invasive Tr-DNA technology uses simple, easily obtained urine samples to diagnose disease and genetic health conditions. The Company's proprietary Tr-DNA technology involves the analysis of fragments of DNA that have moved from the blood stream through the kidneys, where they accumulate in urine. Xenomics' scientists were the first to detect this DNA material in urine samples. Most existing diagnostic tests use blood and tissue samples, which are more difficult to obtain. Additionally, urine samples are less dangerous for health care professionals, and are more stable than blood samples -- an important factor in developing nations where medical laboratories are scarce.

Xenomics' diagnostic solutions have demonstrated the ability to detect and monitor parasite-based infections such as malaria at much earlier stages of the diseases than current diagnostic technologies allow. Existing medical treatments for malaria are far more successful when started soon after the onset of infection. As it stands, malaria often goes undetected until it has reached a devastating stage for vital organs, causing serious damage and becoming less curable.

The parasite that causes malaria is spread by mosquitoes. The source of the Leishmaniasis parasite is a tiny sand fly commonly found along the Mediterranean coast, and in dozens of other countries.

The Xenomics Tr-DNA research into infectious diseases takes place at the Spallanzani Institute of Italy, in Rome, as part of a joint venture called SpaXen. Xenomics has already filed U.S., Italian and European patents for applications of its Tr-DNA platform to detect HIV and various strains of TB, including multiple drug-resistant TB. Xenomics is also developing its versatile Tr-DNA technology platform at its laboratories in the U.S. to create new diagnostic methods for such ailments as cancer and fetal genetic abnormalities, including Down syndrome.

About Xenomics, Inc.

Xenomics is a molecular diagnostic company that focuses on the development of DNA-based tests using Transrenal DNA (Tr-DNA). Xenomics' patented technology uses safe and simple urine collection and can be applied to a broad range of applications, including prenatal testing, tumor detection and monitoring, tissue transplantation, infectious disease detection, genetic testing for forensic identity determination, drug development, and research to counter bioterrorism. Scientists from Xenomics were the first to report that fragments of DNA from normal cell death cross the kidney barrier and can be detected in urine. The Company believes that its technology will open significant new markets in the molecular diagnostics field. Xenomics has three issued U.S. patents covering different applications of the technology for molecular diagnostics and genetic testing and a pending European patent for the same applications. The Company has organized a joint venture to conduct research on infectious disease detection with the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (Instituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive "Lazarus Spallanzani") in Rome, in the form of a new R&D company called SpaXen Italia, S.R.L. For more information, please visit http://xenomics.com. For more investor-specific information, including daily and historical Company stock quote data and recent news releases, please visit http://www.trilogy-capital.com/tcp/xenomics. To read or download the Company's Investor Fact Sheet visit http://www.trilogy-capital.com/tcp/xenomics/factsheet.html. To view an online video about Xenomics technology and products, visit http://www.trilogy-capital.com/tcp/xenomics/video.html. A TV news report about the Company's next-generation prenatal tests can be viewed at http://www.trilogy-capital.com/tcp/xenomics/ny1_video.html.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking. Such statements are indicated by words such as "expect,""might,""should,""anticipate" and similar words indicating uncertainty in facts and figures. Although Xenomics believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. As discussed in the periodic reports of Xenomics, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of the following factors, among others: uncertainties associated with product development, the risk that Xenomics will not obtain approval to market its products, the risk that Xenomics' technology will not gain market acceptance, the risks associated with dependence upon key personnel, and the need for additional financing.

Source: Business Wire

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