Prosavin Patent

Oxford Biomedica PLC
26 June 2006


For immediate release                                              26 JUNE 2006






                              Oxford BioMedica



    OXFORD BIOMEDICA RECEIVES NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE FOR KEY US PATENT COVERING
                    PARKINSON'S DISEASE PRODUCT, PROSAVIN(R)



Oxford, UK - 26 June 2006: Oxford BioMedica (LSE:OXB), a leading gene therapy
company, announced today that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the US
Patent Office for a key patent application, which significantly extends the
protection of ProSavin, the Company's lead product candidate for Parkinson's
disease. It is expected that the patent will be issued during 2006. This patent
describes the genetic composition of ProSavin, and as such is an important
addition to the portfolio of patents that protect the product.



The product comprises the Company's LentiVector(R) gene delivery system carrying
three genes that programme cells to produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter that
is lost during the course of Parkinson's disease. The assembly and configuration
of the three genes to achieve the optimal dopamine production were major
technical achievements, and these form the basis of this key ProSavin patent.



Importantly, the claims allowed by the US Patent and Trademark Office are broad
and not only cover the Company's LentiVector-based genetic configuration of
ProSavin but also cover the basic gene constructs central to the development of
ProSavin. In addition, the claims cover any LentiVector-based neurodegenerative
disease product that uses the same general configuration with any therapeutic
genes. Hence, the patent provides protection for new product candidates that the
Company may develop for the treatment of other neurodegenerative conditions such
as Alzheimer's disease.



ProSavin is the lead product in Oxford BioMedica's neurotherapy pipeline and has
shown promising, long term efficacy in industry-standard preclinical models of
Parkinson's disease. The Company has initiated regulatory consultation for the
start of Phase I/II trials in patients with the disease.



Commenting on the news, Oxford BioMedica's Chief Executive, Professor Alan
Kingsman said: 'ProSavin is one of the major value drivers for Oxford BioMedica
after TroVax. This patent secures our control of the intellectual property for
the product, which has shown exceptional preclinical efficacy.'



-Ends-




For further information, please contact:

Oxford BioMedica plc:
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive               Tel: [phone]

City/Financial Enquiries:
Lisa Baderoon/Mark Court/Mary-Jane Johnson Buchanan    Tel: [phone]
Communications

Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries:
Katja Stout/Gemma Bradley/Susan Yu                     Tel: [phone]
Northbank Communications





Notes to editors



1. Oxford BioMedica

Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the
development of novel gene-based therapeutics 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.



Oxford BioMedica has core expertise in gene delivery, as well as in-house
clinical, regulatory and manufacturing know-how. In oncology, the pipeline
includes two candidates in multiple Phase II trials, and a preclinical targeted
antibody therapy in collaboration with Wyeth. A Phase III trial in renal cancer
with TroVax, the lead cancer immunotherapy candidate, is expected to start in
the second half of 2006. In neurotherapy, the Company's lead product is a gene
therapy for Parkinson's disease, which is expected to enter clinical development
in 2006, and four further preclinical candidates. 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 70 split between its main facilities in
Oxford and its wholly owned subsidiary, BioMedica Inc, in San Diego, California.
Oxford BioMedica has corporate collaborations with Wyeth, Intervet,
Sigma-Aldrich, Viragen, MolMed, VIRxSYS and Kiadis; and has licensed technology
to a number of companies including Merck & Co, Biogen Idec and Pfizer.



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



2. ProSavin(R)

ProSavin is Oxford BioMedica's lead neurobiology candidate product for the
treatment of Parkinson's disease. ProSavin uses a LentiVector(R) system to
deliver the genes for three enzymes that are required for the synthesis of
dopamine. The three genes are AADC (aromatic amino acid dopa decarboxylase), TH
(tyrosine hydroxylase) and CH1 (GTP-cyclohydrolase 1). The product is
administered locally to the striatum, where these genes are able to reprogramme
transduced cells to manufacture and secrete dopamine. Gene expression is
sustained over several months, a key requirement for the product to be
clinically successful. This new endogenous source of the neurotransmitter
replaces the patient's own lost source of dopamine.



The Company had demonstrated preclinical efficacy with ProSavin in an industry
standard in vivo model of Parkinson's disease. The preclinical studies suggest
that a single treatment with ProSavin has a therapeutic effect after two weeks,
and restores almost normal movement after five to eight weeks, which is then
maintained. This effect is seldom achieved in this model according to the
literature. The clinical manufacturing process has been finalised and the
Company has commenced regulatory consultation for the start of clinical trials
of ProSavin.



3. Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease affects 1% of the over 50 population and about 10% of the
over 60s. It is a progressive disease requiring care over a period of 10-15
years. The current worldwide market for Parkinson's disease products is about
US$2 billion. None of the currently available products provide long-term relief
from symptoms.




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