Research Update

Oxford Biomedica PLC
26 June 2000


For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc                                          
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive              Tel: [phone]
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Scientific / Trade Press Enquiries
Sue Charles/ Katja Stout, HCC.De Facto                Tel: [phone]


OXFORD BIOMEDICA ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT 
ADVANCES IN GENE TRANSFER TO THE BRAIN

Monday, 26 June 2000 Forum for European Neurosciences, Brighton: Oxford
BioMedica announces latest results for high gene transfer efficiency,
excellent safety profile and long term gene expression into the brain using
lentiviral vectors. 

Oxford BioMedica presented the Company's latest results on its proprietary
LentiVectoR(TM) technology for delivering genes to the brain and other parts
of the nervous system at Forum for European Neurosciences 2000 held in
Brighton. 

These new results build on data published in 1999 in the scientific journal
'Gene Therapy', and substantially move the commercial application of
LentiVector(TM) forward. 

BioMedica's LentiVector(TM) system is based on a horse virus called Equine
Infectious Anaemia virus (EIAV). The Company has engineered the virus so that
it picks up therapeutic genes and delivers them to human cells. The EIAV-based
vector has been constructed so that, unlike many other gene therapy vectors,
it does not transfer any viral genes to the patient's cells. This, coupled
with the fact that EIAV, in its natural state, does not cause disease in man,
gives this system one of the best safety profiles in the gene therapy field. 

The technology is being used initially to develop gene therapy products for
Parkinson's disease but it has the potential to treat other diseases such as
Alzheimer's disease and to treat spinal injury and nerve degeneration. 

The Company has developed its production technology to a point where the
efficiency of gene transfer is extremely high when the vector is introduced
into the brain. Dr. Nick Mazarakis, BioMedica's Head of Neurobiology showed
results in Brighton where a marker gene was delivered to more than 105 brain
cells using just one microlitre of the LentiVector(TM) preparation. Commenting
on these results Dr. Mazarakis said:

 'The efficiency and reliability of this system is such that we can
contemplate developing a wide range of products for neurological disease. In
addition this technology opens the way to use gene transfer to probe the basic
functions and mechanisms of the brain in a way that has simply not been
possible before.'

Dr. Mazarakis' presentation also showed that BioMedica's technology led to
very long-term gene expression in the brain. A reporter gene was shown to
function for several months with no drop in levels of gene expression and no
adverse side effects. This is important for treating chronic diseases such as
Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, by engineering the LentiVector's surface
molecules BioMedica has been able to deliver genes to different types of
neurones in the brain. 

Commenting on the presentation, BioMedica's Chief Executive, Professor Alan
Kingsman said, 

'We are pleased to have been invited to present our results at such a
prestigious meeting. Our Parkinson's disease product is progressing well and
we are initiating new product programmes for other neurological disease and
injury. In addition, we believe that the LentiVector(TM) technology will
enable us to generate short-term revenue by offering target validation
contracts to the pharmaceutical industry in the neurobiology field. We can
also use the technology to identify new genes that are mechanistically linked
to neurodegenerative diseases. It is a very exciting time to be in this
field.'


 Notes to Editors

1. Oxford BioMedica plc
Established in 1995, the Company specialises in the development and
application of gene-based therapeutics using advance gene delivery
technologies for the treatment of disease in the areas of Oncology, Viral
Infection and Neurobiology.  Oxford BioMedica plc was floated on the UK
Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange in December 1996.

2. Lentivirus vector systems for gene transfer to the brain
In gene therapy, the aim is to deliver a gene and its necessary regulatory
elements (the gene construct) to the cell surface, using a vector to mediate
the transfer across the cell membrane and, in some cases, into the nucleus.
Vector systems based on lentiviruses are now showing great potential. They
have similar features to retroviruses in the ease of manipulation, predictable
integration and reliable gene expression and regulation.  

The main advantage over retroviruses is the ability to function in
non-dividing cells or cells that are dividing slowly - a feature of many
clinically important tissues including the central and peripheral nervous
system. In contrast to some other gene delivery systems, BioMedica's
retroviral and lentiviral vector systems produce no detectable adverse
inflammatory responses. For therapies requiring delivery of genes to brain
cells, this is an essential requirement. 

3. Types of lentiviruses
Lentivirus vectors are constructed from two sources: 
- primate viruses e.g. human or simian immunodeficiency virus (HIV or SIV)
- non-primate viruses e.g. feline and bovine immunodeficiency viruses (FIV and
BIV), and one of the most simple, equine infection anaemia virus (EIAV)

4. Move away from HIV-based vectors
Most early lentiviral vector development focused on the HIV-1-derived system,
as HIV is the most thoroughly characterised of the lentiviruses.  However
concerns over the use of HIV-based vectors for diseases other than HIV
infection are leading to the use of non-primate viruses.

5. Worldwide web
This release is also available on the Worldwide Web at
http://www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk