Patent Granted

Synairgen plc
11 February 2008


PRESS RELEASE                                                                  
                               
                                  SYNAIRGEN PLC
                         ('Synairgen' or the 'Company')

                 Patent Granted for Lung Barrier Screening Test


Southampton, UK - 11 February 2008: Synairgen plc (LSE:SNG), the company
developing novel therapies for asthma and COPD, today announces that a US patent
has been granted for a screening test that can identify compounds capable of
improving lung barrier function in asthmatics ('Barrier Function').

In asthmatics, the cell barrier that lines the lungs is poorly formed and may be
one of the root causes of asthma. It is believed that external irritants such as
pollen, air pollution and viruses may pass through this 'leaky' barrier thereby
creating the inflammation, which many conventional steroid-based asthma
therapies are designed to treat.  Synairgen's patented test enables it to
validate early stage compounds with the potential of improving Barrier Function.

Using the screening test, Synairgen has shown that a panel of growth factors can
restore Barrier Function in its proprietary asthmatic cell models. The Company
has engineered one of these factors to target the specific cells associated with
Barrier Function and it is being developed for delivery by inhalation by
Synairgen.


Richard Marsden, Managing Director of Synairgen, said:

'The granting of this patent validates the novelty of our approach to asthma
research.  We have successfully used the 'screen' to optimise Synairgen's growth
factor which is currently in pre-clinical development.'


                                      Ends


For further information, please contact:

Synairgen                                       Tel: + 44 (0) 2380 512 800
Richard Marsden, Managing Director
John Ward, Finance Director

The Hogarth Partnership                         Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7357 9477
Melanie Toyne-Sewell / Simon Hockridge


Notes for Editors


About Synairgen

Synairgen is a drug discovery company founded by Professors Stephen Holgate,
Donna Davies and Ratko Djukanovic, focused on identifying and out-licensing new
pharmaceutical products which address the underlying causes of asthma and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Synairgen is listed on AIM (LSE: SNG).

For more information about Synairgen please see www.synairgen.com.

Asthma statistics

   • There are approximately 22 million asthmatics in the USA(1)
   • The economic cost to the USA is $19.7 billion per year(2)
   • Asthma accounts for 1,770,000 emergency department visits per year in
     the USA(1)
   • The cost of emergency department visits and in-patient care in relation
     to asthma in the USA is $4.7 billion(2)
   • 50% of the total cost of the asthma is apportioned to 10% of the
     asthmatic population with the severest disease(3)


References

1.   American Lung Association. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Morality. 2007
     www.lungusa.org

2.   Morbidity & Mortality: 2007 Chart Book on cardiovascular, lung and blood
     diseases produced by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

3.   P.J. Barnes, B. Johnson, J.B. Klim. The Costs of Asthma. Eur Respir J
     1996 9, 636-642



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