ALTANA Pharma and Atugen Renew Target Validation and License Agreement BERLIN, Germany, February 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Atugen AG announced today it has renewed its non-exclusive Target Validation and License Agreement with ALTANA Pharma AG, (NYSE:AAANYSE:FSE:NYSE:ALT), for another year. The agreement gives Altana the right to have molecular targets validated by Atugen's discovery team, utilizing a number of proprietary knockdown tools and transfection technologies. Under the agreement, Altana also receives a license to use Atugen's gene silencing and oligonucleotide delivery technologies. The license was first granted in August 2001 and Altana has paid Atugen several research milestones. Atugen uses a unique target validation approach where both siRNA molecules and a third generation antisense technology (GeneBloc.) are employed in parallel. This approach, called CrossValidation, is designed to exclude artifacts and nonspecific effects that could arise if either technology were applied alone. The GeneBloc. technology is, in contrast to other antisense technologies, extremely potent and devoid of toxicity. Furthermore, Atugen possesses a set of proprietary liposomal transfection reagents that is custom-tailored to individual cell lines and minimizes toxicity while obtaining high transfection rates. Atugen's gene silencing technologies are employed in in vitro and in vivo target validation and the Company has a program to develop siRNA therapeutics. Dr. Gekeler, Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Oncology at ALTANA Pharma AG, said: "We have made very interesting discoveries in our research using Atugen's optimized gene silencing technologies. In the past, we had a very fruitful and creative collaboration in various research areas and so we are pleased to be able to renew the agreement and have further access to Atugen's technology as it progresses." "The relationship we have with Altana is a very productive one and an excellent endorsement for our knockdown and delivery technologies," said Dr. Peter Buckel, Atugen's CEO. "We look forward to a continuing and successful association." Notes to Editors: Atugen AG, http://www.atugen.com/ ALTANA Pharma AG, http://www.altanapharma.com/ DATASOURCE: Atugen AG CONTACT: For More Information, Please Contact: Katja Stout, Northbank Communications, Tel: +44-(0)-20-7886-8150 Email: Dr Andre Lochter, Director Business Development, Tel: +49-30-9489-2804 Email:

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