Paris, France and Bonn, Germany; 16 March 2005 ….. IntegraGen, the personalized medicines company, officially opened its first genetic testing facility in Bonn, Germany, today. The Expert Center will provide comprehensive laboratory testing combined with supporting genetic counseling. The first test to be offered will be for the diagnosis of Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), a form of type 2 diabetes that is often mistaken for type 1 diabetes. Correct diagnosis of MODY is essential for appropriate patient care and this is now easily available.

Professor Klaus Olek, the Managing Director of IntegraGen’s first Expert Center, said:
“We are very excited to be offering this important new validated genetic test for diabetes patients.  MODY is strongly determined by genetics and access to a rapid, reliable and cost effective diagnostic testing will have a positive impact on patient care, by assisting in the provision of appropriate therapy and disease prognosis.  We look forward to extending our genetic testing and counseling offering in the future to include other important genetic diagnostic tests currently under development at our research and development centre in France.”

MODY usually appears in young adults during their 20s and, as it has a similar profile to type 2 diabetes, it often remains undiagnosed despite requiring specific treatment to manage the condition successfully. IntegraGen will use the complete sequence of four genes implicated in MODY to provide an accurate diagnosis, with a maximum processing time for samples of 10 days. Genetic diagnosis and counseling at the Expert Center in Bonn will be provided by Dr. Monika Maringa, an experienced medical geneticist. The facility will become fully operational in April 2005.

IntegraGen plans to expand its genetic testing and counseling operations in the future, both by providing an increasing range of genetic tests for multifactorial diseases and by extending access to the tests across Europe.

The Company is developing informative and predictive genetic tests for several common diseases. It is applying its expertise in genetic analysis and unique GenomeHIP^® technology to identify genes associated with complex diseases. This information will then be translated into the development and commercialization of further clinically relevant genetic tests to support personal health management decisions. The Company plans to have its first in-house developed genetic test for autism on the market in 2006 and anticipates providing a genetic test for type 2 diabetes in 2007.

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About IntegraGen

IntegraGen SA uses its unique genomic analysis expertise to identify genes associated with complex diseases and to develop diagnostic and predictive genetic tests. The Company applies its innovative gene mapping technology, GenomeHIP® (Genome Hybrid Identity Profiling), to rapidly discover genetic loci that are implicated in complex, multi-factorial diseases. GenomeHIP® is a major advance that overcomes the limitations of existing marker based familial linkage study methods.

IntegraGen is applying its discoveries to develop a series of innovative IntegraTests™ and is poised to become a leader in the rapidly growing field of predictive medicine. The Company will be a fully integrated provider of genetic tests that can be used to predict, prevent, diagnose and tailor personalized treatments for complex diseases. Testing will be provided as a service through Expert Centers, which will also provide expert analysis and genetic counseling from an accredited MD-geneticist. The Company’s first Expert Center has been established in Bonn, Germany, to provide the Company’s first testing service for MODY diabetes (Mature Onset Diabetes of the Young) testing. The Bonn center will become fully operational in April this year.

The Company's strategy is to develop molecular diagnostic tools for selected disease areas with high medical need. IntegraGen's in-house programs are focused on neurological disorders, including autism and bi-polar disorder, and metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The IntegraTest for autism, the world’s first genetic test for autism, is currently in the clinical validation phase of development, with an anticipated launch in 2006. The Company’s IntegraTest for type-2 diabetes is expected to enter clinical validation in 2006.

Founded in July 2000, IntegraGen has 34 employees and is based in the French Genopole of Evry, near Paris, France, and in Bonn, Germany.

More information can be found at www.integragen.com