LentiVector Update

Oxford Biomedica PLC
05 February 2004


 For immediate release                                                                        2004/OB/02

                                                                                         5 February 2004
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]





                  OXFORD BIOMEDICA SIGNS LENTIVECTOR(R)

                  LICENSING AGREEMENT WITH MERCK & CO



Oxford, UK: 5 February 2004 - Oxford BioMedica announced today that it has
signed a licence agreement for its LentiVector technology with Merck & Co., Inc.
The agreement allows Merck & Co., Inc. to use the Company's proprietary
LentiVector gene delivery system for research activities. Under the terms of the
agreement, Oxford BioMedica will receive an upfront licence payment and an
annual maintenance fee.

Three issued US patents, of which the most recent was issued in December 2003,
and one granted European patent, support the Company's LentiVector technology.
The patents include broad composition of matter and methods of production claims
for lentiviral vector gene delivery systems of both human and non-human origin.
The LentiVector system is a powerful technology for gene delivery to a wide
range of cell and tissue types. The technology has applications both in
therapeutic products and as a drug discovery tool for target validation and the
creation of targeted disease models. It has also been shown to substantially
enhance the efficiency of making transgenic birds and mammals.

Commenting on the news Oxford BioMedica's Chief Executive, Prof. Alan Kingsman
said 'This agreement with Merck is further endorsement of Oxford BioMedica's
patent position in the field of lentiviral delivery systems and the broad
utility of the LentiVector technology. We are delighted to have reached this
agreement with Merck '.



                                 -Ends-





Notes to editors

1. Oxford BioMedica



Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the
development of gene-based products for a range of unmet medical needs with an
emphasis on new cancer products, which combine novel mechanisms of action with
very low side effects, and innovative neurotherapy products, which address large
and, in several areas, untapped markets. The products are all protected by
multiple patents comprising a total intellectual property portfolio of some 69
patent families, which represents one of the broadest patent estates in the
field.



In addition to its technical research skill-base, Oxford BioMedica has in-house
clinical, regulatory and manufacturing know-how. The development pipeline
includes two novel anti-cancer products in clinical trials and a gene-based
treatment for Parkinson's disease, which is in late preclinical studies.



Oxford BioMedica has a wholly owned subsidiary in San Diego, USA. Oxford
BioMedica has corporate collaborations with Wyeth, Intervet, Amersham, Arius
Research, Kiadis and Viragen.



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





2. LentiVector technology



Oxford BioMedica has three issued US patents for its LentiVector technology.
These include broad composition of matter claims and methods of production
claims for lentiviral vector gene delivery systems of both human and non-human
origin.  The patents also 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.



The Company has established a neurotherapy pipeline of product candidates based
on its LentiVector technology, which includes ProSavin(R) for Parkinson's
disease, RetinoStatTM for retinopathy, MoNudinTM for motor neuron disease and
InnurexTM for nerve repair.




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