Copenhagen, Denmark, 2011-04-04 22:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Exiqon A/S (NASDAQ OMX: “EXQ”), a leading supplier of research products for
qPCR analysis and biomarker development, today announced positive results in
the company's development of a diagnostic test for early detection of
colorectal cancer in blood. The results were revealed during an oral
presentation at the annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
meeting in Florida, USA, today.

In a multicenter study, Exiqon has demonstrated the ability of the company's
proprietary miRCURY LNA™ Universal RT microRNA PCR platform to robustly detect
miRNA biomarkers associated with the presence of colorectal cancer based on
less than 0.2 ml blood.

“The results we present today represent the preliminary culmination of many
years of technology development which now allows Exiqon to monitor minute
amounts of miRNA biomarkers in blood based on a standard blood sample format
and handling protocol. We are excited about this promising potential for our
first diagnostic test based on standard PCR analysis of blood samples taken
under standard testing procedures”, says Dr. Adam Baker, Vice President of
Exiqon Diagnostics.

The objective for the first phase of the early detection of colorectal cancer
program was to identify candidate miRNA biomarkers in plasma samples from stage
II/III colorectal cancer patients and age- and gender-matched
colonoscopy-verified healthy controls. A genome wide screen in blood plasma
profiled 730 individual miRNAs from 50 stage II cancers and 50 matched
controls. The results were used to develop a candidate panel of miRNAs
detectable in less than 0.1 ml plasma.

In the second phase of the program, the candidate panel of miRNAs was profiled
in a study set of 227 stage II/III colorectal cancer patients and matched
controls. The results demonstrated that using a simple miRNA signature derived
from plasma obtained under standard clinical conditions it is possible to
detect colorectal cancer. In the study, including samples from patients with
proven colorectal cancer and matched healthy subjects from five Danish
hospitals, the biomarker signature had a sensitivity and specificity for cancer
of 75% and 80%, respectively, easily fulfilling the requirement for a
commercial test.

Exiqon has begun the next phase which includes final assay development and
validation of the biomarker signature in a larger study cohort of more than
3,000 patient/control samples. Exiqon plans to publish the results of the
validation study before year end.

The goal of Exiqon's early detection of colorectal cancer program is to
develop, validate, and market, through a partner, a simple, safe, sensitive,
and specific blood-based screening method that, by implementation into
nation-wide screening programs will result in earlier detection of colorectal
cancer (down-staging) and therefore reduced mortality due to colorectal cancer.

In the western world, 600.000 patients are diagnosed with colorectal cancer
every year and it is the second most deadly cancer. Today, guidelines worldwide
recommend that every person older than 50 years is screened regularly for early
detection of colorectal cancer. The only reliable screening test offered today
is colonoscopy. However, this test is both time consuming and inconvenient, and
compliance is therefore very low. As a result, an unmet need for a simple blood
based test exists. The addressable market for such a convenient test is in
excess of USD 3 billion.

For an abstract of Exiqon's presentation given at the AACR conference today:
“Discovery of a miRNA-based RT-qPCR signature able to detect early stage
colorectal cancer in blood plasma”, please see the attached PDF or follow the
below link for an online version (abstract 2816):
http://www.abstractsonline.com/plan/ViewAbstract.aspx?mID=2734&sKey=3143326d-b0b
1-4408-9077-09ac88372faa&cKey=74343b2b-06d3-41b2-95cd-8c8b3114c641&mKey=%7b507D3
11A-B6EC-436A-BD67-6D14ED39622C%7d

Additional information:
Lars Kongsbak, President and CEO, tel. +45 4566 0888 (cell: +45 4090 2101)
Adam Baker, Vice President, Diagnostics and Pharma Alliances, tel. +45 4566
0986 (cell: +45 4090 2153)

See the full release in the attached PDF or at www.exiqon.com/investor/portal.