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ENZO Biochem Unit Allowed Interference Action

Seeks To Establish Rights To Invention

 
FARMINGDALE, NY, April 8, 2005 – Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE:ENZ) announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has declared an interference between a patent application for the interferon protein known as Interleukin-6 (“IL-6”) owned by Enzo's wholly-owned subsidiary, Enzo Therapeutics, Inc., and four U.S. patents owned by Yeda Research & Development Co., Ltd., the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, in Israel.
 
An interference is a proceeding brought before the Patent Office when two patent applications containing allowed claims, or an issued patent and an allowed patent application, claim essentially the same invention.  The purpose of the interference is to determine who was the first to make the invention.  The owner of the invention is also determined as a consequence.
 
Dr. Pravin Sehgal, Professor in the Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Medicine, at the New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, is the inventor on Enzo’s patent application, all the claims for which have now been allowed by the Patent Office.  Dr. Sehgal published his discovery of IL-6 in 1980.  Three of the Yeda patents issued in 1995 and the fourth patent issued in 1996.  Drs. Michel Revel and Pierre Tiollais are the inventors on the Yeda patents.
 
IL-6 is a cytokine that plays important roles in host defense, acute phase reactions, immune response and hematopoiesis (production of all types of blood cells).  IL-6 is currently the subject of numerous research and clinical investigations on mediating the body’s responses to cancer, infection, injury and disease.  Through recombinant technology, Enzo Therapeutics scientists have expressed and produced highly purified IL-6 for further applications.  A favorable outcome in the interference would pave the way for Enzo’s development of its first cytokine-based pharmaceutical and could potentially establish an additional therapeutic platform for the Company.
 
About Enzo
Enzo Biochem is engaged in the research, development and manufacture of innovative health care products based on molecular biology and genetic engineering techniques, and in providing diagnostic services to the medical community.  The Company’s proprietary labeling and detection products for gene sequencing and genetic analysis are sold to the life sciences market throughout the world.  The Company’s therapeutic division is in various stages of clinical evaluation of its proprietary gene medicine for HIV-1 infection and its proprietary immune regulation medicines for hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection and for Crohn’s disease.  The Company also holds a patent covering a method and materials for correcting point mutations or small insertions or deletions of genetic material that would allow for editing and correcting certain abnormalities in genes.  The Company owns or licenses over 230 patents worldwide. For more information visit our website www.enzo.com.

Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this news release may be considered ”forward‑looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Such statements include declarations regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and its management. Investors are cautioned that any such forward‑looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could materially affect actual results.  The Company disclaims any obligations to update any forward-looking statement as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.