RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Biotechnology company Icoria, Inc. (OCTBB: ICOR.OB) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Isis Pharmaceuticals to identify biomarkers of toxicity in animal models. Icoria will use its metabolomics platform to characterize differences in biochemical profiles between treated and untreated animal subjects and to identify those biochemicals that are specifically affected by treatment. Isis can use this information to suggest pathways that may be altered by future drug candidates. Metabolomics, or biochemical profiling, uses mass spectrometry to measure net changes in the level of the body's endogenous biochemicals, such as amino acids, sugars and fatty acids, and provides a means of evaluating drug action and disease state. When combined with proprietary software developed by Icoria, this technology enables Icoria to construct biomarkers that can detect toxicity or the therapeutic effects of drugs. Drug development companies such as Isis can use this data to infer pathway-based mechanisms of drug action and patient response, and to assess drug safety. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, however, it is not expected to significantly impact the company's recently released financial statements. About Icoria Icoria, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery of novel, multi-parameter biomarkers using its unique multi-platform approach. Icoria intends to use these future biomarkers internally to develop multi-analyte diagnostics to define and grade pathology or disease state with a high level of specificity and sensitivity, and use its technology to help collaborators and customers develop better, safer drugs and diagnostics and to identify targets, leads and drug/diagnostic combinations for liver injury, metabolic disorders and cancer. Icoria's shares trade on the over the counter bulletin board. This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the Company's expectations for its healthcare based business model and its biomarker discovery platform. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, factors and uncertainties that may cause actual results, events and performance to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. These risks, factors and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Icoria's ability to identify biomarkers, early stage of development, history of net losses, technological and product development uncertainties, reliance on research collaborations, uncertainty of additional funding and ability to protect its patents and proprietary rights. Certain of these and other risks are identified in Icoria's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended June 30, 2005, March 31, 2005, as amended, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, all as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations, except as may be required by law. DATASOURCE: Icoria, Inc. CONTACT: Media - Public Relations of Icoria, Inc., +1-919-425-2999 Web site: http://www.icoria.com/

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