Lentivector Licence

Oxford Biomedica PLC
02 July 2007




For Immediate Release                                                2 JULY 2007



   OXFORD BIOMEDICA AND SIGMA-ALDRICH ISSUE JOINT LICENCE FOR LENTIVECTOR(R)
                   TECHNOLOGY TO MAJOR BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANY

Oxford, UK: 2 July 2007: Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB), a leading gene therapy
company, and Sigma-Aldrich, a leading life science and high technology company,
today announced that they have signed a joint licence agreement for the
LentiVector technology with a major US-based biotechnology company, which
provides the company with access to the technology for global research
activities. Sigma-Aldrich is Oxford BioMedica's strategic partner and exclusive
licensee in the commercialisation of the LentiVector technology for research
use. Financial details were not disclosed.

Oxford BioMedica's lentivirus-based gene delivery technology, known as
LentiVector, is one of the most powerful technologies for the delivery of genes
to a wide range of cell and tissue types. The LentiVector technology has
applications both in therapeutic products and as a drug discovery tool for
target validation and the creation of targeted disease models. Oxford BioMedica
has a comprehensive portfolio of US and European patents and applications that
cover the technology. Sigma-Aldrich and Oxford BioMedica have an active
licensing programme providing access to the LentiVector technology on a
non-exclusive basis for research activities. Licensees include Biogen Idec,
GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co and Pfizer.

Commenting on the news, Oxford BioMedica's Senior Vice President Commercial
Development, Peter Nolan, said: 'We are delighted to have secured another
licensee for the LentiVector gene delivery technology, which has become the
industry gold standard for various applications in research and drug discovery.
With our strategic partner, Sigma-Aldrich, we believe that the technology has
significant commercial potential as a research tool, which is in addition to its
application in gene-based therapies.'

-Ends-



For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc:                                   Tel: [phone]
                                                                 
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive
City/Financial Enquiries:                               Tel: [phone]
                                                                       
Lisa Baderoon/ Mark Court/ Mary-Jane Johnson Buchanan
Communications
Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries:                       Tel: [phone]
                                                                       
Gemma Price/ Holly Griffiths/ Katja Stout
Northbank Communications



Notes to editors


1. Oxford BioMedica

Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the
development and commercialisation of novel therapeutic vaccines and gene-based
therapies with a focus on oncology and neurotherapy. The Company was established
in 1995 as a spin-out from Oxford University, and is listed on the London Stock
Exchange.


The Company has a platform of gene delivery technologies, which are based on
highly engineered viral systems. Oxford BioMedica also has in-house clinical,
regulatory and manufacturing know-how. In oncology, the lead product candidate
is TroVax(R), an immunotherapy for multiple solid cancers, which is licensed to
sanofi-aventis for global development and commercialisation. A Phase III trial
of TroVax in renal cancer is ongoing and sanofi-aventis is implementing a
development plan for colorectal cancer. Oxford BioMedica's oncology pipeline
includes a specific immunotherapy candidate, Hi-8(R) MEL, for melanoma, which
has completed two clinical trials. In neurotherapy, the Company's lead product,
ProSavin(R), is expected to enter clinical development for Parkinson's disease
in 2007. The neurotherapy pipeline also includes preclinical gene-based
therapeutics for vision loss, motor neuron disease and nerve repair.


The Company is underpinned by over 80 patent families, which represent one of
the broadest patent estates in the field. The Company has a staff of
approximately 75 split between its main facilities in Oxford and its wholly
owned subsidiary, BioMedica Inc, in San Diego, California. Corporate partners
include sanofi-aventis for TroVax and Wyeth for a targeted antibody therapy. The
Company also has collaborations with Intervet, Sigma-Aldrich, MolMed and
Virxsys. Technology licensees include Merck & Co, Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline
and Pfizer.


Further information is available at www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk


2. LentiVector(R) technology

Oxford BioMedica's proprietary LentiVector technology represents one of the most
advanced gene delivery systems currently available. Licensed users include
Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co and Pfizer. Oxford BioMedica also has a
strategic alliance with Sigma-Aldrich to develop and commercialise
LentiVector-based reagents for the research market. As a platform for gene
therapy, it has broad utility for the treatment of chronic disorders such as
neurodegenerative and ocular diseases.


Based on lentiviruses, LentiVector offers permanent gene transfer to a broad
range of dividing and non-dividing cells, including neurons and retinal cells,
in a stable and efficient fashion. The LentiVector technology is designed to be
safe and non-toxic, as no viral genes are taken into the target cell.


The Company has shown in preclinical studies that gene expression using the
LentiVector technology is maintained for more than 18 months. To date, Oxford
BioMedica has not identified a situation where expression has ceased during the
course of an experiment. Oxford BioMedica has established a broad pipeline of
neurotherapy product candidates based on its LentiVector technology.




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange