IMED issued European patent

Press release
April 2, 2008

IMED issued European patent

The European Patent Office has issued LinkMed's portfolio company IMED AB a
patent titled, “Fas peptides and antibodies for modulating apoptosis”. The
patent covers IMED's core technology; the generation of human antibody molecules
that binds the human Fas receptor. The issuance of the patent strengthens IMED's
intellectual property position further. 



“The European patent strengthens our efforts in building an attractive and
competitive project portfolio with strong patent protection,” said Lotta
Ljungqvist, CEO of IMED AB.  “The issued patent is an important milestone in our
development program and we can now turn to commercializing our apoptosis
modulators. I am convinced that the human antibodies that IMED has generated
have the potential to fulfill large medical needs.”

The Fas/Fas Ligand mechanism regulates cell death, apoptosis, and has been
demonstrated to be involved in many severe and widespread diseases, such as
cancer, transplantation, HIV and Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD).  IMED AB is
in the process of developing antibodies to this target for the treatment of
immune disorders and diseases related to deregulation of cell death. The issued
patent covers the method IMED utilizes to deregulate cell death through Fas.
IMED has previously been issued a corresponding patent in the US.

Currently, IMED is developing three projects, of which two are in pre-clinical
phase. The lead project utilizes the human monoclonal antibody to block
apoptosis in GVHD. This project is being readied for advancement into clinical
trials. GVHD is a life threatening complication of bone marrow or stem cell
transplantation in which the new transplant, the graft, attacks the patient, the
host, resulting in a systemic disease which affects primarily the skin, liver
and gastrointestinal tract.  

LinkMed owns 42.3 percent of IMED AB.
For additional information please contact:
Ingemar Lagerlöf, CEO LinkMed AB +46-8-508 939 93


LinkMed develops new life-science companies in collaboration with innovators. By
contributing entrepreneurship and capital, LinkMed has created a portfolio of
twelve companies, six in drug development and biotechnology and six in medical
technology. The LinkMed share is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange, Stockholm,
and the company's largest shareholders are FastPartner, Koncentra Holding, and
the founder Ingemar Lagerlöf. See www.linkmed.se for more information.