EANS-News: Epigenomics AG: First Blood Test for Colorectal Cancer Available in Germany

First diagnostic laboratories start offering testing based on
Epigenomics' Septin9 biomarker on October 1st

Test is able to
detect colorectal cancer in a simple blood draw

Company hosts
press conference at ECCO/ESMO Congress in Berlin today

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely
responsible for the content of this announcement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Products/Molecular diagnostics

Utl.: First diagnostic laboratories start offering testing based on
Epigenomics' Septin9 biomarker on October 1st

Test is able to detect colorectal cancer in a simple blood draw

Company hosts press conference at ECCO/ESMO Congress in Berlin today
=

Press release, Berlin, Germany, and Seattle, WA, U.S.A., September
21, 2009 (euro adhoc) - Epigenomics AG (Frankfurt Prime Standard:
ECX), a molecular diagnostics company focusing on the development and
commercialization of in vitro diagnostic products for cancer, today
announced that several German laboratories will start offering
laboratory-developed colorectal cancer blood tests based on
Epigenomics' proprietary biomarker mSEPT9 on October 1st, 2009. Among
the first laboratories offering mSEPT9 testing for colorectal cancer
to gastroenterologists, general practitioners, and patients in
Germany will be Labor Krone (Bad Salzuflen), Labor Limbach
(Heidelberg), MVZ Dr. Stein (Mönchengladbach), and MVZ Dr. Eberhard &
Partner (Dortmund). The launch in Germany follows the introduction of
mSEPT9 testing in Switzerland by the Swiss laboratory network
Viollier AG on July 1st, 2009.

Epigenomics today will host a press conference on the medical utility
of the mSEPT9 biomarker for colorectal cancer blood testing and how
it may help to overcome key challenges in colorectal cancer screening
effectiveness at this year's joint Multidisciplinary Congress of ECCO
- the European Cancer Organisation and ESMO - the European Society
for Medical Oncology in Berlin, Germany.

In numerous clinical studies with a total of more than 3,000 subjects
Epigenomics has shown that methylated DNA of the Septin9 gene
(mSEPT9) in blood plasma is a strong indicator, or biomarker, for the
presence of colorectal cancer. This has opened the way to developing
tests for the early detection of colorectal cancer in a simple
blood-draw addressing the most challenging hurdles in colorectal
screening - patient compliance.

Colorectal cancer screening in Germany is recommended and reimbursed
under the public health care scheme from the age of 50. Fecal Occult
Blood Testing (FOBT), a test that detects invisible blood in stool,
is recommended to patients once a year. From 55 years and onwards
ambulant colonoscopy is recommended that should be repeated after ten
years. Individuals not willing to agree to a colonoscopy are
recommended to continue FOBT testing on a biannual schedule. Despite
these recommendations the majority of Germans over the age of 50 are
not screened at all and as a consequence colorectal cancer is mostly
detected in symptomatic stages significantly lowering their chances
of survival. Lack of convenience and reservations against invasive
methods are among the reasons most often cited for this lack of
compliance. Other countries with comparable screening guidelines
including, the U.S., face similar challenges.

A blood test for colorectal cancer early detection that is easily
integrated into an annual health check-up and does not require
patient involvement is believed to be more acceptable to doctors and
patients and has the potential to greatly increase the effectiveness
of national screening programs. If tested positive in such an easy to
use blood test, patients would be referred to a gastroenterologist
for colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis and initiate early
treatment.

"Most people in Germany by now know that cancer screening is offered
and also believe that this is useful and beneficial. The dilemma is
that they don't make use of it themselves", stated Prof. Jürgen
Rieman, M.D., chairman of the board of Stiftung Lebensblicke, a
non-profit organization advocating colorectal cancer screening in
Germany for more than ten years. "With a new and easy to use blood
test we could achieve our goal of substantially increasing acceptance
of and participation in colorectal cancer screening. Patients tested
positive would be followed up by colonoscopy", he continued.

"As a diagnostic laboratory with a focus on innovative molecular
diagnostics, we will offer mSEPT9 testing to general practitioners
and gastroenterologists in our network", explained Angelika Vogel,
responsible laboratory physician for molecular diagnostic testing at
Labor Krone. "This test requires a standard blood draw and no further
invasive procedures or patient involvement. All other steps are
performed in the quality controlled environment of a professional
diagnostics laboratory ensuring the highest quality and reliability
of the results to the benefit of the patients and as a basis for
further counseling."

Septin9 testing is initially offered to self-payors and privately
insured patients. A large prospective clinical study, PRESEPT, is
underway to demonstrate the medical utility and in particular also
health economic benefit in population-wide colorectal screening with
the Septin9 test. The data is expected to be instrumental in
achieving cancer screening guideline inclusion and eventually
coverage by public health care schemes in Germany and other European
countries as well as the U.S.

To ensure widespread availability of blood-based colorectal cancer
early detection, Epigenomics is working with partners in the
diagnostics industry, including Abbott Molecular, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
and Quest Diagnostics, Giralda Farms, NJ, U.S.A., that are expected
to start offering their Septin9 tests in Europe and the U.S.A.,
respectively, in the fourth quarter of 2009. Further partners include
ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A., and Sysmex
Corporation, Kobe, Japan.

Press Conference Details

The press conference titled: "A milestone in colorectal cancer
screening: The detection of the biomarker mSEPT9 in a simple blood
draw", with presentations by Prof. Juergen Riemann, M.D., Chairman of
the Board of Stiftung Lebensblicke, Dr. Achim Plum, Senior Vice
President Corporate Development at Epigenomics AG and Angelika Vogel,
Laboratory Physician at Labor Krone, will take place today, Monday,
September 21st 2009, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, at the ICC Berlin, Neue
Kantstrasse/ Ecke Messedamm, conference room 28/29.

Poster Presentation Details

A poster presentation titled "A New Duplex Real-time PCR Assay for
Detection of the mSEPT9 Biomarker for Colorectal Cancer Screening
Using Blood Plasma" (Poster number 180) will be presented by Dr.
Gunter Weiss, Vice President Product Development at Epigenomics AG,
on September 22nd 2009, from 9 to 12 am, at ICC Berlin, Hall 13,
booth A-21.

About Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (or colorectal carcinoma) refers to a malignant
growth of the colorectal mucosa. Colorectal cancer develops usually
in several phases and over many years, beginning with abnormal cell
proliferation (adenoma) inside the colon and that over the time forms
polyps or flat lesions. These benign precursors can become tumors
which are initially localized (stage I or II), but over the course of
the disease spread into lymph nodes (stage III) and finally
metastasize to distant organs such as the liver, bones or lungs
(stage IV). The development from a small polyp or a flat lesion to a
cancer takes an average of 5 to 10 years.

In the U.S. approximately 147,000 people are estimated to be
diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2009. In Europe, including
Germany, 413,000 cases were diagnosed in 2006. The five-year survival
rate for patients is about 90% if the cancer is diagnosed at an early
stage while it is still localized but drops to below 10% in stage IV.
Accordingly, effective population-wide screening aiming at catching
the cancer in early, still asymptomatic stages is considered key in
lowering the mortality from this disease.

About Epigenomics

Epigenomics is a molecular diagnostics company with a focus on the
development of novel products for cancer. Using DNA methylation
biomarkers, Epigenomics' tests in development aim at diagnosing
cancer at an early stage before symptoms occur and thereby may reduce
mortality from this dreaded disease.

Epigenomics' product pipeline contains a validated biomarker for the
early detection of colorectal cancer in blood plasma, and further
proprietary DNA methylation biomarkers at various stages of
development for prostate and lung cancer detection in urine, blood
and bronchial lavage specimens. Epigenomics' biomarker mSEPT9 for the
early detection of colorectal cancer in a simple blood sample has
continuously demonstrated the highest performance in multiple
clinical studies with blood samples from in total more than 3,000
individuals. A large prospective clinical study - PRESEPT - for
evaluation of mSEPT9 in a screening population is currently under way
(www.presept.net).

For development and global commercialization of in vitro diagnostic
test products, Epigenomics pursues a non-exclusive partnering
strategy. Strategic diagnostics industry partners include Abbott
Molecular, Philips, Sysmex Corporation, Quest Diagnostics, Inc., and
ARUP Laboratories, Inc. for diagnostic test products and services,
and QIAGEN N.V. for sample preparation solutions and research
products.

Partners in the health care industry and the biomedical research
community can access Epigenomics' portfolio of proprietary DNA
methylation technologies and biomarkers protected by more than 150
patent families through research products, Biomarker Services, IVD
Development Collaborations, and Licensing. The company is
headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and has a wholly owned subsidiary
in Seattle, WA, U.S.A. For more information, please visit
Epigenomics' website at www.epigenomics.com.

Epigenomics legal disclaimers. This communication expressly or
implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning
Epigenomics AG and its business. Such statements involve certain
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could
cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or
achievements of Epigenomics AG to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. Epigenomics AG is providing this
communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any
forward- looking statements contained herein as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.

The information contained in this communication does not constitute
nor imply an offer to sell or transfer any product, and no product
based on this technology is currently available for sale in the
United States. The analytical and clinical performance
characteristics of any product based on this technology which may be
sold at some future time in the U.S. have not been established.

Ende der Mitteilung euro adhoc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ots Originaltext: Epigenomics AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Epigenomics AG

Dr. Achim Plum

Sen. VP Corporate Development

Tel: +49 30 24345 368

achim.plum@epigenomics.com

Branche: Biotechnology
ISIN: DE000A0BVT96
WKN: A0BVT9
Index: Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
München / free trade