LentiVector Patent Update

Oxford Biomedica PLC
13 August 2003

13 August 2003



OXFORD BIOMEDICA OBTAINS FURTHER FUNDAMENTAL PATENT FOR LENTIVIRAL GENE THERAPY
                                   TECHNOLOGY


Oxford, UK: 13 August 2003. Oxford BioMedica plc announced today that it has
received allowance from the US Patent Office for a further patent covering its
proprietary LentiVector technology. This additional patent compliments the US
patent 6,312,682 issued in November 2001 and both include broad composition of
matter claims and methods of production claims for lentiviral vector gene
delivery systems of both human and non-human origin.



This patent adds further strength to Oxford BioMedica's existing patents that
cover derivatives of lentiviral vector systems that, unlike many versions of
lentiviral vectors, have real clinical utility because of their safety. The
Oxford BioMedica team was the first to construct lentiviral vectors that contain
no viral genes at all, and which comprise the minimum number of viral components
in the viral particles. It is this minimisation of the vectors that is the
subject of these patents. This work was done using vectors based on HIV and
Equine Infectious Anaemia Virus (EIAV), a horse virus that is not linked to any
disease in humans. The EIAV system is Oxford BioMedica's system of choice
because of its superior safety profile.



Oxford BioMedica's LentiVector gene delivery technology is arguably the most
potent system currently available for treating diseases of the central nervous
system, particularly chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Oxford BioMedica has
shown that minimal lentiviral vectors are able to deliver genes to a wide range
of dividing and non-dividing cells, including neurones in the brain.



This technology forms the delivery system for several of the Company's products
that are approaching the clinical development stage. ProSavin(R), for Parkinsons
disease, is Oxford BioMedica's most advanced programme that uses the proprietary
LentiVector gene delivery system. In addition to ProSavin, there are three
further research/preclinical stage programmes using the LentiVector system:
RetinoStatTM, for retinopathy (vision loss), InnurexTM, for nerve repair in
spinal cord injury, and MoNuDinTM, for motor neuron disease.



 'Oxford BioMedica's LentiVector technology is a powerful gene delivery platform
that out-performs other vector systems in terms of its combination of high gene
transfer efficiencies, duration and regulation of gene expression, ease of
production and safety. This is reflected in the range of commercial discussions
that are underway related to this technology, and in encouraging results from a
number of the Company's preclinical studies. We are working currently on taking
our first LentiVector-based product into clinical trials for Parkinson's disease
' said Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive of Oxford BioMedica.



                                             Ends-


For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive                Tel: [phone]
City/Financial Enquiries:
Mike Wort, James Chandler: Beattie Financial            Tel: [phone]
Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries:
Sue Charles, Katja Stout: Northbank Communications      Tel: [phone]


Notes to Editors


1.       Oxford BioMedica


Established in 1995 as a spin out from Oxford University, Oxford BioMedica plc
specialises in the development of novel gene-based therapeutics for the
treatment of cancer, neuro-degenerative disease and other disorders with major
unmet clinical needs. The development pipeline includes two novel anti-cancer
products in clinical trials and a gene therapy treatment for Parkinson's
disease, which is in late preclinical studies. This is underpinned by a broad
research pipeline and over 70 patent families, about quarter of which are
issued.


Oxford BioMedica's products use genes as the mediators of a therapeutic effect
and/or immune response. The Company's gene therapy products deliver therapeutic
molecules in vivo whilst its gene-based immunotherapy products deliver genes
that recruit the patient's immune system to mediate a therapeutic effect. The
genes are delivered by the Company's highly engineered viruses or cells.


BioMedica's lead product TroVax(R) is an anti-cancer therapeutic vaccine
expected to be useful against a broad range of tumour types. Two Phase I/II
trials with TroVax have been completed in the UK in late-stage colorectal cancer
patients. Following these successful Phase I/II trials, TroVax has entered two
Phase II trials in Stage IV colorectal cancer patients receiving 5FU plus either
oxaliplatin or irinotecan. The product is also on target to enter further trials
in colorectal, renal and breast cancer. The renal and breast cancer trials are
to be conducted in the United States under an Investigational New Drug (IND)
application. Data from the first TroVax Phase II trial is expected to be
available by the end of 2003, in readiness for Phase III trials in colorectal
cancer.


MetXia(R) is Oxford BioMedica's lead gene-based cancer therapeutic. The product
is based on a highly engineered retrovirus gene delivery system expressing a
specific human cytochrome P450 gene. MetXia converts the tumour into a 'drug
factory', enabling increased local production of the anti-tumour, cytotoxic
derivative of the pro-drug cyclophosphamide. MetXia is potentially useful in the
treatment of all solid tumours and their metastases, particularly those where
cyclophosphamide is commonly used. MetXia is being investigated in a Phase I/II
trial in breast cancer, and regulatory submissions are under review for trials
in pancreactic cancer.


Oxford BioMedica is headquartered in Oxford, UK and has a wholly-owned
subsidiary in San Diego, USA. BioMedica has corporate collaborations with Wyeth,
IDM, Intervet, Aliga Pharmaceuticals, Amersham, Arius Research and Viragen.


Further information is available at http://www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk






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