CIPH Ciphergen Biosystems (MM)

Ciphergen Partnering With the EU Funded ADDNET Consortium to Discover and Develop Diagnostics of Renal Disease ProteinChip(R) Technology to Provide Biomarker Discovery and Assays FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ciphergen Diagnostics, a division of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CIPH), announced today that it is collaborating with the ADDNET consortium which is focused on creating a paradigm shift from biopsies for the diagnosis of kidney disease to advanced molecular diagnostics from patient urine. The ADDNET consortium, funded by the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union, consists of 6 participants from four countries and is led by Prof. Harry Holthofer at the University of Helsinki. "We are extremely pleased to have been selected to participate in this consortium consisting of leading universities in Europe," stated William E. Rich, President and CEO of Ciphergen. "Existing diagnostics are limited in their ability to provide predictive information, particularly given the growth of kidney disease worldwide." In 1999, there were approximately 424,000 patients suffering from end stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States alone, with approximately 89,000 new cases reported that year. Existing therapies (dialysis and transplantation) are extremely expensive, not curative and cause considerable human suffering. Diabetes is the major single cause for ESRD with up to 40% of all dialysis and transplantation patients due to diabetic nephropathy. The incidence of diabetes and its renal complications are continually rising; the World Health Organization has estimated that the number of patients with diabetes will double to 300 million by 2025. Earlier diagnosis of subclinical renal disease would permit targeted intensive treatment, possibly slowing the progression of renal disease in patients. Current blood and urine tests cannot detect subclinical renal disease, and, although kidney biopsies are accurate, they are invasive and therefore cannot be a routine clinical test. Hence, the Sixth Framework Programme has funded this multi-year, multiinstitution project to employ genomic, proteomic and bioinformatics tools to identify and validate a set of key molecular markers directly from patient urine that may yield novel diagnostic markers for the early and accurate non-invasive diagnosis of renal disease. Prof. Harry Holthofer, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Technomedium at the University of Helsinki and leader of the ADDNET consortium, said: "Ciphergen's ProteinChip technology and Pattern Track(TM) process was chosen to provide the biomarker discovery and assay capability for this important project due to its suitability for protein expression profiling and ability to work synergistically with the other approaches that will be included, such as gene expression profiling. In addition, their promising approach on translating research into clinical diagnostics was an important consideration." About Ciphergen Ciphergen's Diagnostics Division is dedicated to the discovery of protein biomarkers and panels of biomarkers and their development into protein molecular diagnostic tests that improve patient care; and to providing collaborative R&D services through its Biomarker Discovery Centers(R) for biomarker discovery for new diagnostic tests as well as pharmacoproteomic services for improved drug toxicology, efficacy and theranostic assays. Ciphergen's Biosystems Division develops, manufactures and markets a family of ProteinChip(R) Systems and services for clinical, research, and process proteomics applications. ProteinChip Systems enable protein discovery, characterization, identification and assay development to provide researchers with predictive, multi-marker assay capabilities and a better understanding of biological function at the protein level. Additional information about Ciphergen can be found at http://www.ciphergen.com/. Safe Harbor Statement Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: For purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"), Ciphergen disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, and claims the protection of the Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Act. Examples of such forward-looking statements include statements regarding a potential shift from biopsies for the diagnosis of kidney disease to diagnostics from patient urine, the ability of earlier diagnosis of subclinical renal disease to permit targeted intensive treatment which slows the progression of renal disease, the ability to identify and validate a set of key molecular markers directly from patient urine that may yield diagnostics for the early and accurate diagnosis of renal disease, the use of ProteinChip technology to discover useful protein biomarkers, develop and commercialize protein molecular diagnostics that improve patient care, and the ability to provide services that lead to improved toxicology assays and diagnostic assays. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements due to various factors, including the ability of the ADDNET consortium to successfully discover a set of molecular markers that can be subsequently developed into useful and reliable renal disease diagnostics, the ProteinChip technology's ability to validate and/or develop protein biomarkers as diagnostic or toxicology assays, and the Company's ability to successfully commercialize such tests. Investors should consult Ciphergen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-Q dated November 9, 2004, for further information regarding these and the other risks of the Company's business. NOTE: Ciphergen, ProteinChip and Biomarker Discovery Center are registered trademarks of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. DATASOURCE: Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. CONTACT: Sue Carruthers, Investor Relations, of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., +1-510-505 2297 Web site: http://www.ciphergen.com/

Copyright