Detection may be used to complement and target screening for the disease; findings will be integrated into the deCODEme(TM) personal genome scan.

Last update: 1:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 14, 2008
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Sept 14, 2008

DCGN and colleagues at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands today report the discovery of two common single-letter variants in the human genome (SNPs) that confer increased risk of urinary bladder cancer. Approximately 20% of people of European descent carry two copies of the first variant, a version of a SNP on chromosome 8q24, putting them at a 50% higher risk of developing bladder cancer than those without the variant. Individuals who carry two copies of a common version of another SNP on chromosome 3 were found to be at a 40% higher risk of the disease than non-carriers. These are the best-replicated genetic variants ever linked to bladder cancer risk, and the study analyzed genotypic data from more than 40,000 patients and controls from Iceland, the Netherlands and eight other European countries. The paper, entitled ‘Sequence variant on 8q24 confers susceptibility to urinary bladder cancer,’ will appear today in the online edition of Nature Genetics at www.nature.com/ng.
“In all cancers, the ability to identify individuals at high risk, screening them intensively and intervening early, is the key to improving prevention and outcomes. We expect that the detection of these and other risk variants will soon be employed to complement the assessment of standard risk factors for bladder cancer. As with all of our discovery work, we seek to publish our findings and establish a solid intellectual property position in order to bring these swiftly into the healthcare arena, and have already folded today’s findings into our deCODEme(TM) personal genome analysis service. At the same time, we are working to identify the common thread of variants we and others have discovered on chromosome 8q24 that confer risk of several forms of cancer, including prostate, breast, colorectal and now bladder. If a common molecular mechanism exists, it could provide an important insight into oncogenesis more broadly,” said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE.
For a more detailed discussion of today’s findings you can watch a video discussion between Dr. Stefansson and Dr. Simon Stacey on our blog, at www.decodeyou.com.
Urinary bladder cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 68,810 individuals will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in the United States during 2008 and that 14,100 people will die of the disease. Bladder cancer has been linked to exposure to various types of toxic substances such as cigarette smoke and industrial chemicals. Although it has been known for some time that genetic factors also play a significant role, identifying validated genetic risk variants had been problematic. Incidence of bladder cancer varies considerably between ethnicities, and as the risk factors reported here were discovered by analyzing DNA from groups of European descent, it is our hope that the publication of these findings will contribute to the swift analysis of the impact of these variants in cohorts of other continental ancestries.
The authors wish to thank the thousands of patients and control subjects who participated in this study, and acknowledge the assistance of national cancer registries that worked to identify potential participants. Data and sample collection in Iceland and the Netherlands was funded in part by European commission grants LSHC-CT-2005-018827 and LSHM-CT-2004-005166.
About deCODE
deCODE is a biopharmaceutical company applying its discoveries in human genetics to the development of diagnostics and drugs for common diseases. deCODE is a global leader in gene discovery — our population approach and resources have enabled us to isolate key genes contributing to major public health challenges from cardiovascular disease to cancer, genes that are providing us with drug targets rooted in the basic biology of disease. Through its CLIA-registered laboratory, deCODE is offering a growing range of DNA-based tests for gauging risk and empowering prevention of common diseases, including deCODE T2(TM) for type 2 diabetes; deCODE AF(TM) for atrial fibrillation and stroke; deCODE MI(TM) for heart attack; deCODE ProCa(TM) for prostate cancer; and deCODE Glaucoma(TM) for a major type of glaucoma. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new genetics.(SM) Visit us on the web at www.decode.com; on our diagnostics site at www.decodediagnostics.com; for our pioneering personal genome analysis service, at www.decodeme.com; and on our blog at www.decodeyou.com.
Any statements contained in this presentation that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, and the timing of events, to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, those relating to our ability to obtain financing and to form collaborative relationships, uncertainty regarding potential future deterioration in the market for auction rate securities which could result in additional permanent impairment charges, our ability to develop and market diagnostic products, the level of third party reimbursement for our products, risks related to preclinical and clinical development of pharmaceutical products, including the identification of compounds and the completion of clinical trials, the effect of government regulation and the regulatory approval processes, market acceptance, our ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights for our products, dependence on collaborative relationships, the effect of competitive products, industry trends and other risks identified in deCODE’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the risk factors identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. deCODE undertakes no obligation to update or alter these forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SUNDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have identified a new genetic player in the development of colon cancer.

BELTSVILLE, MD — September 11, 2008 — BioServe today announced a more affordable pricing plan for its vast bank of DNA with comprehensive, de-identified, covariate data that includes age, gender, diet, body mass index (BMI), and race. In addition, each sample has data on the complete diagnostic and treatment history of the donor. BioServe’s DNA represents a wide range of disease states including cancers (breast, prostate, lung, colon, others), diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, obesity, as well as some rarer diseases. The repository also includes over 14,000 control subjects that are free of major illnesses. DNA is available in quantities from a few nanograms to hundreds of micrograms per subject to suit customer needs. Customized DNA panels and case-control studies can be designed based upon the investigators’ needs, taking into consideration the specific data points available for each individual DNA sample. Another useful function of these DNAs is for investigators to utilize them as second group of samples to validate data generated from their studies.

“We are making high-quality DNA available at price points that are affordable to any research laboratory during these tough budgetary times,” stated Kevin Krenitsky MD, Chief Executive Officer of BioServe. “This will result in many more investigators who will be able to perform their research using very well annotated DNA samples. Experiments with these DNAs can be executed both in the investigators’ own lab, and/or at BioServe with a large variety of genomic platforms that are currently utilized. We also welcome collaborations that can make access even more affordable,” said Dr. Krenitsky.

BioServe’s DNA is obtained from human subjects that provided informed consent with strict IRB and HIPAA compliance. BioServe has obtained informed consent, detailed questionnaire data and DNA from over 120,000 subjects.

About BioServe

BioServe is a leader in the processing, development, and validation of diagnostic tests for the practice of personalized, predictive and preventive medicine. Leading pharma, biotech and diagnostic firms collaborate with BioServe to identify and validate markers that cause disease while correlating clinical and molecular data to develop new diagnostic tests, promoting wellness around the world. BioServe offers the Global Repository®, a growing library of over 600,000 human DNA, tissue and serum samples linked to detailed clinical and demographic data from more than 120,000 consented and de-identified patients from four continents. Leveraging BioServe’s robust genomic analytical services, processing technology, Global Repository and CLIA-certified laboratory, collaborators gain a complete, highly-efficient platform for obtaining diagnostic test results and identifying genomic markers for powerful new assays. BioServe has headquarters in Beltsville, MD and Hyderabad, India. For more information please visit www.bioserve.com or call 301-470-3362.

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — September 9, 2008 — An international consortium consisting of Saudi Biosciences, Beijing Genomics Institute Shenzhen, and CLC bio have in a joint effort performed an initial sequencing and analysis of the first Arab human genome, as part of a large project to sequence 100 Arab human genomes to map the unique genetic variations of the Arab population.

His Royal Highness Prince Ahmad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Head of the Board of Directors at Saudi Biosciences, said “This marks the first milestone in our goal to pioneer the personalized medicine era in the Arab world, and the next step is to lead a large project to sequence 100 Arab genomes at high resolution no later than the end of 2010. Our ambitions are to make this project go beyond similar international efforts, both in terms of quality and quantity!”

Dr. Saeed Hussain from Saudi Bio Sciences, states, “We are extremely proud to present the first Arab human genome! This project launches the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in to the small circle of nations who are currently in the process of building sophisticated databases of human genetic variation. This database is fundamental in the process of analyzing and understanding the specific genetic makeup of Arabs, which in turn will provide key knowledge to improve medical care for this large group of people.”

How was the project realized?
After Saudi Biosciences launched this project early 2008, an international joint collaboration with  Beijing Genomics Institute and CLC bio was organized.  A high quality sequencing of this genome was generated using Illumina’s Genome Analyzer platform. Afterwards the data was assembled and analyzed using CLC bio’s CLC Genomics Workbench.

“The fact that Saudi Biosciences have selected CLC bio among all the potential software providers, emphasizes that we are the world’s leading provider of genomics software solutions. We could think of no better opportunity to refine our software solutions, than a project like this, which is truly at the forefront of genomics research. This is indeed a unique and visionary project that we are excited and proud to be a part of.” said the Director of Scientific Solutions at CLC bio, Dr. Roald Forsberg.

The results, including analysis and identification of the unique variants of the Arab genome compared to African, European and Asian genomes, have been accumulated. The data are currently confidential but will be released following publication.

What is the impact of this project?
One of the most important goals of modern medicine and genetic research is the goal of tailoring medical care to an individual’s needs, based on information from the individual’s genotype or gene expression profile, so-called personalized medicine. Personalized medicine can offer huge advances in medical care but can only succeed if the genetic variation of humans can be accurately mapped.

The advent of a new generation of experimental techniques, has now given biomedical researchers the opportunity to map the complete genetic variation of large numbers of humans via full genome sequencing. The data produced from such efforts will provide an unparalleled amount of information that can be used to distinguish the unique groups within the human race, and help tailor medical care that targets the specific needs of different populations and individuals. Personalized medicine is thus on the brink of a major breakthrough.

However, the projects scheduled so far have aimed at characterizing mainly three populations - Africans, Europeans and Asians. This means that an accurate characterization and discovery of genetic variation in the Arab people can not be immediately expected and that the Arab populations may receive less of the benefits that will follow the advancement of personalized medicine.

This is why the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wanted to start building an Arab human genomics database now, in order to scientifically explore the unique genetic composition in the Arab world. The database is fundamental in the process of analyzing and recognizing the distinct genetic makeup of Arabs, which in turn can provide knowledge to help stratify disease status, select between different medications and tailor their dosage, provide a specific therapy for an individual’s disease, or initiate a preventative measure that is particularly suited to that patient at the time of administration.

His Royal Highness Prince Ahmad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Head of the Board of Directors at Saudi Biosciences, said “The Arab world was never an active participant in the large international projects in the field of genomics, and we believe that this should change. Working with an international collaborator such as Beijing Genomics Institute, an advanced institute in genomics studies, and CLC bio, the leaders in bioinformatics solutions with their recently released CLC Genomics workbench, we plan to participate actively in international efforts towards understanding the genomics basis of human diseases.”

About Saudi Biosciences

Saudi Biosciences (SB) is a leading biotechnology company in the Middle East. SB main goal is to  implement personalized medicine concept through studying the variations in Arabic populations. To achieve this goal, SB is sequencing 100 Arab genomes, exploring copy-number variations (CNV) and performing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in collaboration with major institutes in Middle East.

About the Beijing Genomics Institute Shenzhen

The Beijing Genomics Institute Shenzhen (BGI) was founded in 1999. Since June of 2007, BGI has been headquartered in Shenzhen. It achieved international prominence as a center for sequencing the human genome. BGI completed one percent of the human genome for the Human Genome Project and ten percent of HapMap. Today the BGI staff of 500, led by Director Yang Huanming and Director Wang Jian, are in the forefront of genome research. Among other achievements, BGI has sequenced and mapped the rice and silk worm genomes. Current research includes sequencing of the panda genome as well as participation in the International HapMap project and the 1000 Genomes project.

About CLC bio

CLC bio is a world leading bioinformatics solution provider, solely focusing on the development of bioinformatics: software, hardware, data analysis, and custom-designed bioinformatics algorithms.

CLC bio’s mission is to be among the most innovative bioinformatics companies in the 21st century. This is realized through:

• Focusing on Next Generation Sequencing downstream data analysis
• Development of bioinformatics software and hardware based on the latest scientific findings
• User-friendly, integrated and intuitive cross-platform software solutions
• Continuous focus on customer needs and superior customer service
• Frequent product updates including the latest IT technologies and bioinformatics algorithms
• A flexible IT architecture, enabling customers to buy or develop individualized solutions at a reasonable price

September 4th, 2008 - Tocris Bioscience announced today the signing of an exclusive deal with AstraZeneca to supply Gefitinib (also known as Iressa  and ZD1839) to preclinical researchers working on the mechanisms underlying cancer development. For the first time, scientists will be able to buy authentic, fully licensed, non-formulated Gefitinib as an off-the shelf product for use in biological research.

In recent years pharmaceutical companies have developed a number of small molecule drugs that are clinically effective against certain types of cancer. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as Gefitinib are at the forefront of this new generation of targeted anticancer agents.

Gefitinib is an EGFR-TKI (epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor), which targets and blocks the activity of the EGFR-TK, an enzyme that regulates intracellular signalling pathways implicated in cancer cell proliferation and survival. Growth factor signalling has been identified as a key driver of tumour growth and spread in a wide range of cancers. For clinical use, Gefitinib has been approved for the treatment of advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in 36 countries.

This molecule has been licensed to Tocris for use as a preclinical research compound only. Strict conditions have been imposed by AstraZeneca to ensure that it is not used in human studies.

Duncan Crawford, Tocris’ Chief Scientific Officer, said, “We know that there is a great deal of interest in Gefitinib from the global research community. By making fully licensed Gefitinib available through our catalogue, we hope to promote new and exciting research in the fundamental processes that drive cancer development. For Tocris this important new product perfectly compliments our comprehensive and expanding range of high purity compounds, which are in use worldwide to further biomedical research. We are delighted that our excellent relationship with AstraZeneca has allowed us to make this compound available to scientists working on the fundamental mechanisms of cancer cell biology”

About Tocris Bioscience
Tocris Bioscience is a leading supplier of high performance chemicals, peptides and antibodies, with customers in virtually all of the world’s major pharmaceutical companies, universities and research institutes. The Company is committed to making new life science discoveries possible by providing the highest performing and most innovative range of research reagents.

Tocris Bioscience products are used by scientists carrying out non-clinical research in fields such as cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and obesity. The Company’s product range of over 2,000 reagents represents a unique collection of novel, exclusive and licensed research tools. A major source of key signal transduction reagents and arguably the world leader in the supply of neuroscience reagents, the Company won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (International Business) in 2002.

Tocris Bioscience is the trading name for the companies in the Tocris Cookson Group. Formed from the 1994 merger of Tocris Neuramin and Cookson Chemicals, Tocris Cookson Ltd is privately held and headquartered in Bristol, UK. Its US subsidiary, Tocris Cookson Inc, is located in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. There are approximately 50 employees in the Group worldwide, operating out of two sites in the UK and one in the US.

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $29.55 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines. For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: www.astrazeneca.com

CARLSBAD, Calif. & WASHINGTON — September 2, 2008 — The leaders of the biotechnology industry will once again gather for BIO-Europe, the world’s largest stand-alone partnering conference, in Mannheim/Heidelberg, Germany, November 17-19. With biotech deal-making still the thrill in drug development markets, this year’s BIO-Europe promises to set new standards for generating quality partnering meetings and providing the information required to successfully navigate opportunities in an era of significant biotech industry change. Many of the most respected industry thought leaders and decision makers will come to the Rhein-Neckar biotech super cluster to examine the issues, new business approaches, policy trends that are vital to biotech’s successful long-term future.

A central theme to BIO-Europe 2008 is partnering in a globalizing biotechnology market, featuring interactive workshops led by renowned industry experts on important emerging topics such as understanding the critical issues upon entering the U.S. market and partnering with U.S. companies; deal-making in China; deal-making with Japanese companies; and how to adjust to changes in U.S. patent law.

Other conference highlights include the not-to-be-missed 6th annual “A Day in the Life of Experienced Deal-makers” plenary session. Led by James Watson, Managing Director and Head of Merchant Banking, Burrill & Company and including industry notables such as Andrew Gengos, Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development, Amgen; Mark McDade, Executive Vice President, UCB Pharma; Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer, Morphosys; John Goddard, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Strategic Planning and Business Development, AstraZeneca; Simon Turton, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus; and William Ringo, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Pfizer; this highly popular and provocative forum promises to continue its tradition of lively and insightful debate over key issues of strategic deal-making by some of the biggest names in biotech partnering.

One of the more difficult tasks for the biopharmaceutical industry is to explain the value of new drugs to the wide variety of constituencies with which they interact, all of whom have a vested interest in minimizing the value of new drugs to the system. Successfully demonstrating value is critical if the industry is to obtain adequate reimbursement for its products, yet the environment in which the industry operates continues to put up more hurdles. In “Demonstrating the Value of New Drugs”, Dr. Karen Bernstein, Chairman and Editor in Chief, BioCentury Publications will lead a panel exploring how companies can best navigate emerging challenges such as a FDA that increasingly emphasizes safety in response to political pressures; a growing emphasis on comparative efficacy and comparative effectiveness; and the possibility of a new U.S. president less friendly to the industry.

Notes to Editors:
Entry to BIO-Europe 2008 is free to the media, including full access to the partnering system, sessions, press conferences, workshops, and pre-arranged partnering meetings. Visit the BIO-Europe conference Web site at http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope for detailed information on this year’s conference and online registration. When you register online, please indicate in the comment field that you are requesting a complimentary press registration. Please fax a copy of your press pass to complete your complimentary media registration to fax number +49 (89) 23 88 756 - 55.

About BIO-Europe

BIO-Europe is the preeminent stand-alone partnering event for the biotechnology industry. Delegates from all parts of the biotechnology value-chain come to BIO-Europe to efficiently identify, engage and enter into the strategic relationships that drive their business successfully forward. The annual BIO-Europe partnering event draws over 2,200 industry attendees from almost 50 countries, representing more than 1,250 companies, for three days of high-level networking. BIO-Europe is organized by EBD Group with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, in partnership with European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises.

About EBD Group

EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global biotechnology industry. Since 1993, firms in the life sciences have leveraged EBD Group’s partnering conferences, technology and services to identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships that drive their business.

EBD Group’s conferences are run in collaboration with leading industry players and international trade associations. They include BIO-Europe, the world’s largest stand-alone life science partnering conference (organized with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, BIO); BIO-Europe Spring(R); BioPharm America(TM) (EBD’s new North American partnering event); BioEquity Europe (co-organized with BioCentury Publications and BIO); and EuroMed Tech, the partnering event for the advanced medical technology industry.

EBD’s novel, Web-based, partnering service partneringONE(TM) is also used at numerous third-party events around the world. Outside of the conference format, EBD Group’s consultants can provide hands-on assistance for firms seeking to in- or out-license products and technologies. EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe. For more information please visit www.ebdgroup.com.

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.

WA researchers have taken the first step towards developing new anti-cancer medications that could activate a gene shown to block the growth of cancerous cells.

Led by Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) Director Professor Peter Klinken, the scientists have screened a large collection of drug-like molecules and recently identified a number of compounds which can increase levels of the Hls5 gene.

“This discovery is very encouraging and a great step forward in our quest to create new cancer treatments,” said Professor Klinken.

“Because of the role Hls5 plays in keeping cell growth at a normal rate, we expect that these compounds will greatly slow down the growth of cancer cells.”

The Hls5 tumour suppressor gene was reported by Professor Klinken’s team in 2004.

The group’s research has revealed that people who don’t have the gene - or those who have a mutated or inactive form of the gene - are more likely to develop certain types of cancer.

In conjunction with WA-based biotechnology company BioPharmica, the WAIMR team has spent more than a year screening 70,000 compounds which increase Hls5 levels.

“Our preliminary data reveals that several of these compounds do indeed markedly slow down the growth of human cancer cells,” said Professor Klinken.

“Importantly, we also know through computer modeling that nearly all of these compounds have drug-like qualities.”

“From here, we take the research to the next phase of laboratory testing with the ultimate hope of investigating if one of these molecules can be used to create a fresh treatment that can slow growth of cancer cells in patients.”