CAT Catco Reinsurance Opportunities Fund Limited

RNS Number:7953Q
Oxford Glycosciences PLC
12 September 2000


                                                                              
          Oxford GlycoSciences plc and Cambridge Antibody Technology
              Announce Strategic Alliance in Protein Microarrays

Oxford, UK 12 September 2000  -  Oxford GlycoSciences plc (LSE: OGS) and
Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT: LSE) today announced the formation of a
collaboration to develop "protein chip" technology for detection of proteins
using antibody based microarrays.

The companies will combine their respective technologies, to develop a new
protein detection and screening technology based on antibody microarrays.
OGS's human protein libraries and CAT's human antibody libraries will be
analysed, paired proteins and antibodies selected and microarrays developed
based on OGS's current protein microarray prototype format. The goal is to
create a new generation of protein detection technology with the speed,
throughput and sensitivity to serve the development of research tools,
diagnostics and novel therapeutics.  Each party will fund its own research
contribution.

Michael  Kranda,  CEO  of OGS said, "With the Human Genome  map  in  hand  the
spotlight  has  shifted to proteins, proteomics and antibody  technology.  The
CAT/OGS  Protein Chip project will focus on combining our expertise to explore
the  next  generation of high throughput proteomics technology.   We  see  the
field  of analytical proteomics maturing similarly to genomics.  OGS pioneered
industrialised  proteomics  based  on  2D  gels  and  mass  spectrometry,  for
discovery  of  human  proteins.  We currently have  over  800  patent  filings
covering  disease specific proteins, with the number growing.  Our  technology
team  has used our expertise in proteomics, micro-engineering and informatics,
to  develop  the prototype of an antibody-based protein detection  microarray.
The  alliance  with  CAT provides us access to their high throughput  antibody
technology  to  bring  our prototype micro arrays to an industrial  scale  for
developing  protein  chips  as screening and diagnostic  tools.  We  are  very
pleased  to  link  up with the acknowledged antibody technology  expertise  at
CAT".

David  Chiswell,  CEO of CAT said, "Understanding the expression,  processing,
modification  and  activity of proteins is fundamental to the  development  of
revolutionary  diagnostics,  prognostics  and  therapies  for  human   disease
management.  We at CAT believe that antibody-based microarrays will be a  core
tool  for  unlocking this understanding.  CAT's extensive pioneering  work  on
high throughput antibody isolation, which has included the world's first fully
automated,   high  throughput  antibody  selection  and  screening   processes
developed three years ago, makes CAT the partner of choice to develop  Protein
Chips.   Teaming  up  with the world-leading proteomics  expertise  at  Oxford
GlycoSciences  is  CAT's  first  collaboration  designed  to  help  solve  the
technological  and commercial challenges in developing Protein  Chips  and  to
unlock the strategic value in this new market".

Notes to Editors

OGS
OGS  is  the  world's leading proteomics based drug discovery and  development
company  headquartered in Oxfordshire, UK, applying its proteomics  technology
to  pharmaceutical research and development. OGS has proteomics collaborations
with  a  number  of major pharmaceutical companies, including programmes  with
Pfizer in Alzheimer's disease and atherosclerosis, with Merck in diabetes, and
in  respiratory disease with Bayer.  OGS also has a proteomics programme  with
Pioneer  Hi-Bred/DuPont.  Furthermore, in a joint venture  with  the  genomics
company,  Incyte  Genomics  Inc.,  OGS is building  expression  databases  for
licence  to pharmaceutical companies, to which Astra Zeneca became  the  first
subscriber in 1999.

OGS  has  drug discovery programmes in oncology, inflammation, and  infectious
disease,  and a growing clinical and pre-clinical pipeline.  OGT 918 (Vevesca)
is  in  late  stage  clinical trials for the treatment of  glycolipid  storage
disease.

CAT
CAT  is a UK biotechnology company using its proprietary technologies in fully
human monoclonal antibodies for drug discovery and drug development.  Based in
Melbourn,  10 miles south of Cambridge, England, CAT currently employs  around
180 people.  CAT is listed on the London Stock Exchange, having raised #41m in
its  IPO in March 1997.  A Secondary Offering in March 2000 raised #93m.   CAT
has  a  world  leading platform technology for rapidly isolating  fully  human
monoclonal  antibodies using proprietary phage display systems.   CAT  has  an
extensive  phage display antibody library, currently incorporating around  100
billion  distinct antibodies.  This library, forms the basis for the company's
strategy  to  develop a portfolio of clinical development programmes  and  for
discovering  new  drug  leads  using functional genomics.   Four  fully  human
therapeutic  antibodies  developed by CAT are at various  stages  of  clinical
trials.

CAT  has  a  number  of  license and collaborative agreements  in  place  with
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies including: Eli Lilly, Pfizer,  BASF
Pharma,  Genentech, ICOS Corporation, Genetics Institute, Wyeth-Ayerst,  Human
Genome Sciences, AstraZeneca and Pharmacia.

Microarrays
A microarray is a chemically modified surface (chip) onto which a high density
of probes have been precisely applied in an ordered manner.

Protein Chip
A  protein chip is a chemically modified surface onto which a high density  of
protein-based probes have been precisely applied in an ordered manner.

Some  important  facts that could cause actual results to  vary  significantly
from  management's  expectations  noted in these  forward  looking  statements
include government approvals, intellectual property positions and costs.   OGT
918 is an investigational drug and has not received approval for marketing  in
any country.


For further information, please contact:

Oxford GlycoSciences plc
Michael Kranda, Chief Executive Officer
Tel: +44 (0) 1235 543200
WorldWide Web: http://www.ogs.com

Financial Dynamics
David Yates - Tel: +44 (0) 20 7269 7156
Sarah Mehanna - Tel: +44 (0) 20 7269 7236

CAT
Dr David Chiswell, Chief Executive Officer
John Aston, Finance Director
Rowena Gardner, Communications Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 1763 263233

HCC De Facto (Europe)
Nikul Odedra (trade)
Sue Charles (city/finance)
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7496 3300

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