Press releases

ONCOMETHYLOME SCIENCES COMPLETES LABORATORY EXPANSION

OncoMethylome Sciences Doubles Laboratory Capacity for Research and Development by Moving to the GIGA Facility Located at the Liege University Hospital.

LIEGE (BELGIUM) ― April 6, 2006 ― OncoMethylome Sciences, a molecular diagnostics company focused on early detection and individualized treatment of cancer, announced today an expansion and relocation of its Liege laboratories to the new GIGA facility located at the Liege University Hospital. The new laboratories provide the necessary capacity to accommodate the Company's expanding product development activities and personnel growth.

OncoMethylome launched operations in 2003 and has to date raised EUR 29.2 million from specialized life sciences venture capital funds and Wallonia development funds. To date, the Company completed the development of a diagnostic test for early detection of prostate cancer and a test for predicting tumor response to drug treatment. These products are partnered with Veridex (a Johnson & Johnson company) and Schering-Plough Corporation, respectively. Additional products in the Company pipeline include diagnostics for early detection of colorectal, bladder, lung, breast and cervical cancers, as well as personalized treatment products for predicting tumor response to cancer drug therapies. The Company's products are built with validated methylation gene markers and the patented MSP (Methylation-Specific PCR) technology platform. OncoMethylome collaborates extensively with leading international and local molecular oncology research centers, which include the USA-based Johns Hopkins University and University of Liege.

"OncoMethylome is dedicated to improving the diagnosis and treatment of deadly and prolific cancers, such as lung cancer, which causes over 7000 deaths each year in Belgium alone" said Herman Spolders, Chief Executive Officer of OncoMethylome Sciences. "Today, approximately 15% of lung cancer patients are identified when the cancer is local and most treatable; at OncoMethylome we are committed to improving such low statistics by bringing together novel technology and global resources to detect cancer early and accurately."

"We are proud to celebrate this growth milestone" stated Philip Devine, OncoMethylome Sciences Chief Financial Officer. "With our new facility, our strong R&D team, and our validated technology, we look forward to developing additional products to improve cancer patient care."

For further information, please contact:

Lucija Turcinov
Tel. +32-479-801-902
Lucija.Turcinov@oncomethylome.com

About OncoMethylome Sciences

OncoMethylome Sciences is a molecular diagnostics company developing gene methylation tests for early cancer detection and personalized treatment decisions. Specifically, OncoMethylome solutions are designed to (1) detect cancer at an early stage of the disease and at a high level of accuracy, and (2) predict and monitor response to cancer therapy for optimal and more individualized treatment decisions.

OncoMethylome Sciences has a strong pipeline of patented diagnostic products, based on clinically validated cancer markers and the proven MSP technology, for major types of cancer. The Company collaborates with leading international molecular oncology research centers, such as The Johns Hopkins University, and has a number of commercial and collaborative partnerships with Veridex LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, Chemicon International Inc., EXACT Sciences Corp., and Schering-Plough Corp.

The offices of the Company are located in the Research Triangle Park area of Durham, NC, USA, in Belgium, and in the Netherlands. For additional information, please visit www.oncomethylome.com.