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Clinical Data and PharmaCare Sign Landmark Pharmacogenomics Testing Agreement; First Agreement of Its Kind Facilitates Implementation of Pharmacogenomics Testing to Improve Patient Care

Posted on: Thursday, 14 September 2006, 15:01 CDT

Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA) announced today that its PGxHealth Division has signed a landmark pharmacogenomics testing agreement with PharmaCare Management Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Corporation. Pharmacogenomics applies the principles of medicine, pharmacology, and genomics to understand interindividual variations in response to a therapeutic regimen.

PGxHealth, a leader in pharmacogenomics, is developing and commercializing genetics-based tests that help determine how individuals may benefit from a specific drug or drug class. PharmaCare, one of the nation's largest pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs), helps large employers, managed care organizations, insurance companies, unions and government agencies provide safe, cost effective prescription drug coverage for millions of Americans.

Under the agreement, PGxHealth will provide pharmacogenomics testing services and assist in incorporating genetic testing into PharmaCare clinical programs to assist in the selection of the safest, most efficacious and cost effective treatments for patients. Initially, PGxHealth tests associated with clozapine and warfarin will be the focus of this collaboration, and both parties will work to introduce these and other tests to PharmaCare customers as they become available. In addition, Clinical Data and PharmaCare will jointly explore further partnership opportunities targeting therapeutic areas and disease conditions that may benefit clinically and economically from the introduction of tests based on response and safety biomarkers.

Drew Fromkin, President and CEO of Clinical Data, said, "We are extremely pleased to reach this agreement, and we look forward to working closely with PharmaCare to bring pharmacogenomics tests into the clinic to improve patient care. This collaboration marks an exciting and important milestone for our industry because, as the first agreement of its kind, it illustrates the maturation of the science of pharmacogenomics and the growing awareness of the value of incorporating genetic markers into clinical best practices and quality initiatives. Together with PharmaCare and other key healthcare constituents, we expect to significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs for payers, providers and patients. We further believe that PGxHealth's vanguard position in the development of genetic testing, combined with the market reach of PharmaCare, will help catalyze a widespread appreciation of the value of pharmacogenomics as a key tool for healthcare providers."

"This emerging and promising area of healthcare will help us continue to improve patient safety by utilizing cutting edge technology. We look forward to helping our clients and patients realize improved clinical outcomes as well as cost savings by offering the benefits of pharmacogenomics testing," said Chip Phillips, COO, Specialty Services of PharmaCare.

About PharmaCare

PharmaCare is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Corporation, the parent company of America's largest retail pharmacy. Founded on the principles of value, trust and integrity, PharmaCare is one of the largest pharmaceutical benefit managers in the country. The company helps large employers, managed care organizations, insurance companies, unions and government agencies provide safe, cost effective prescription drug coverage for millions of Americans. PharmaCare's comprehensive offerings include complete PBM services, a fully integrated, state-of-the art mail service, one of the nation's largest specialty pharmacies and a network of more than 58,000 pharmacies in all 50 states, and in nearly every city. PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy, with profits over 1 billion, has a unique model that includes specialty mail services as well as 52 retail/clinic pharmacy locations. Additional information on PharmaCare can be found at www.pharmacare.com.

About Clinical Data, Inc.

Clinical Data, Inc., a worldwide leader in providing comprehensive pharmacogenomics and molecular biology services and genetic tests to improve patient care, is organized under three worldwide divisions: Cogenics(TM); PGxHealth(TM), and Vital Diagnostics(TM). Cogenics consolidates certain of the operations of Genaissance Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lark Technologies, Inc., Icoria, Inc., and Genome Express SA, to provide a comprehensive range of molecular biology and pharmacogenomics services to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, agricultural, and government clients. These services are offered in both research and regulated environments and have applications across the lifecycle of pharmaceutical product development. PGxHealth builds upon the existing assets and know-how of Genaissance Pharmaceuticals, Icoria, and Genome Express in the areas of genomics-based, genetic tests and therapeutic efficacy and safety biomarker development for drug utilization. PGxHealth also develops, validates and commercializes novel Therapeutic Diagnostics(TM) to improve patient care, and has a therapeutic drug candidate, vilazodone, currently in late stage clinical trials for the treatment of depression. Vital Diagnostics serves the clinical laboratory in the traditional in-vitro diagnostics market worldwide. With a focus on the physician's office, hospital and small-to-medium sized laboratory segments and customers in approximately 100 countries Vital Diagnostics has achieved a leading market share for instruments and reagents sold into moderately complex physicians' office laboratories within the United States. Clinical Data is headquartered in Newton, Mass. with operations in Texas, Connecticut, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and California as well as internationally in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Australia.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This press release contains certain forward-looking information and statements that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Words such as "expect(s)", "feel(s)", "believe(s)", "will", "may", "anticipate(s)" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our ability to successfully integrate the operations, business, technology and intellectual property obtained in our recent acquisitions; our ability to obtain regulatory approval for, and successfully introduce our new products; our ability to expand our long-term business opportunities; our ability to maintain normal terms with our customers and partners; financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions; and statements regarding future performance. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, the effects of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of the Company, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether Clinical Data will be able to develop or acquire additional products and attract new business and strategic partners; competition from pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics companies; the strength of our intellectual property rights; the effect on the Company's operations and results of significant acquisitions or divestitures made by major competitors; the Company's ability to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in all of its acquisitions, and to successfully integrate its operations; and those risks discussed and identified by Clinical Data in its public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof. Clinical Data does not undertake any obligation to republish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures in Clinical Data's SEC reports, including but not limited to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, and fiscal 2005, 2006, and 2007 quarterly reports on Forms 10-QSB and 10-Q.

Internet Website: www.clda.com

Source: Business Wire

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