OXFORD GENE TECHNOLOGY GRANTS EXCLUSIVE OPTION TO ITS  TRIDEND TECHNOLOGY TO MASSTAG TECHNOLOGIES LTD.

Oxford, January 10, 2007 - Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), a biotechnology company focusing on “harnessing the power of microarrays to enable clinical research and molecular diagnostics”, announces that it has agreed to grant an exclusive option to licence the technology developed by its former Tridend business Unit to MassTag Technologies Ltd. (MassTag), a biotechnology company developing molecular tools for the research and biotechnology market. The option will convert to an exclusive licence subject to MassTag successfully concluding its current capital raising. Under the terms of the licence, OGT will become a minority shareholder in MassTag.

Mike Evans, CEO at OGT said: “Following a strategic review, OGT decided to focus its efforts in the field of microarrays and sought partners capable of maximising the value from the Tridend business unit products and intellectual property. We are pleased to announce that we have found a partner who, we believe, has the right qualities and expertise to successfully exploit the products.”

John Thornback, CEO and Co-Founder of MassTag stated: "We are excited by the wide range of possible applications of the Tridend technology. The extensive intellectual property package opens up a large number of different product lines and markets. As we are focused on the research and non clinical markets we can bring these products to market quickly and cost effectively."

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For further information, please contact:
At Oxford Gene Technology:
Pete Hotten, Director - Licensing & Business Development
Oxford Gene Technology
Begbroke Science Park,
Sandy Lane, Yarnton
Oxford OX5 1PF, UK
T: +44 1865 842603
F: +44 1865 848684
E: licensing@ogt.co.uk
W: www.ogt.co.uk

At MassTag Technologies Ltd.
John Thornback, CEO,
MassTag Technologies Ltd.,
88 High Street North,
Stewkley,
Bedfordshire, LU7 0EW, UK
T: +44 1525 240347

F: +44 1525 240504

E: John.thornback@btinternet.com

Media Enquiries:

Annabel Entress, 0203 008 7557 / a.entress@northbankcommunications.com

Sarah Jeffery, 0203 008 7557 / s.jeffery@northbankcommunications.com

Notes to editors

About the Tridend technology

Tridend technology is based on the development of unique patented trityl groups-small chemical entities. Trityls are well known in chemical synthesis but are ideally suited for use as detection systems in biomedical mass spectrometry (mass tags). In particular the advantage of using the trityls over other detection systems is the ability to carry out multiple experiments at the same time with high sensitivity (multiplexing). This has significant advantages in the areas of immunohistochemistry where large numbers of proteins can be detected at one time. Additionally, the ability to analyse multiple samples for gene expression on the same microarray has significant potential.

About Mass Tag Technologies Ltd.

MassTag Technologies Ltd. is an Oxford based biotechnology company focusing on the development of novel, proprietary trityl based products as mass tags for aiding the research into the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and other major diseases. Two product groups have been developed to the proof of principle. TimPlex- the use of mass tags for detecting proteins on tissue slices-immunohistochemistry and GemPlex-the use of mass tagged samples to enable multiple samples to be used on the same microarray. In addition, MassTag has several products, close to market, that significantly improve the yield of oligonucleotides.

About Oxford Gene Technology

Founded in 1995 by the pioneer of Southern Blotting, Professor Sir Edwin Southern, OGT operates out of Begbroke Business Park near Oxford, with excellent access to a growing network of life science companies
· OGT offers a comprehensive custom microarray consultancy service, from experimental design through all stages to data analysis and interpretation. It has a strong proven track record in providing custom microarray service in a range of applications, and recently announced the launch of its first microarray product, an Escherichia coli K12 ChIP on chip, the first ChIP microarray product to be launched as part of OGT’s Prokaryotic Chip2 family

The key focus areas of OGT include:

1. Array-based application products and services for life science research and molecular diagnostics. OGT’s flexible and cost-effective, customised DNA microarray service covers a range of applications, offering specialist support and assisting customers with every aspect of their research, from initial consultation and experimental design to probe selection, array design and fabrication through to data analysis and interpretation

2. Development of innovative platform products for clinical research and diagnostics

3. Licensing. OGT operates an open licensing policy which has successfully provided access for a number of companies to OGT's fundamental intellectual property, particularly in the area of microarrays

4. Scientific collaborations to generate diagnostic biomarker intellectual property

For further information on OGT visit http://www.ogt.co.uk/

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