Press Release

Protein Discovery, Inc. Announces Development Partnership with LEAP Technologies, Inc. for Tissue Imaging Mass Spectrometry

Knoxville, Tennessee and Carrboro, North Carolina -- April 18, 2006—Protein Discovery, Inc., a privately held life sciences company, today announced that it has formalized a development partnership with LEAP Technologies, Inc., a developer of sample preparation systems for laboratory, environmental, analytical, and pharmaceutical applications. The partnership will focus on developing and commercializing a novel MALDI matrix sprayer for tissue imaging mass spectrometry.

Tissue imaging mass spectrometry is a powerful new method of proteomics and drug metabolism analysis developed in the Caprioli Research Laboratory in the Mass Spectrometry Research Center of the Vanderbilt Medical Center and licensed to Protein Discovery. The technology enables direct spectrometric analysis of tissues, yielding highly specific, spatially resolved molecular profiles of targeted regions. Data from these analyses may form prognostic or diagnostic markers of disease, or reveal potential therapeutic and toxic effects of drug compounds prior to clinical testing. The technology can also help pharmaceutical researchers determine the metabolic processing of new drug compounds and whether the compounds are successfully reaching targeted tissues.

Chuck Witkowski, president and chief executive officer of Protein Discovery, said, "We believe that the MALDI matrix sprayer under development by LEAP Technologies represents a significant step forward for tissue imaging mass spectrometry. In contrast to existing MALDI matrix deposition techniques that deposit a series of small droplets, the sprayer has the potential to deliver a marked increase in resultant pixel resolution, throughput, and reproducibility. This is the only automated system available for MALDI matrix spray coating and we are pleased to assist in its development and optimization."

Werner Martin, president and chief executive officer of LEAP Technologies added, "Protein Discovery is the ideal development partner for this product. They are the industry's exclusive service provider for tissue imaging mass spectrometry and have unique application expertise. We are very pleased to be working with Protein Discovery to soon provide the industry with an automated matrix spraying instrument for preparing tissue for direct analysis via mass spectrometry in a highly reproducible and sensitive manner. LEAP already offers a matrix on tissue printing device".

About Protein Discovery

Protein Discovery, Inc. is a privately held life sciences company developing solutions for molecular research, drug discovery and development, and medical diagnostics using high throughput mass spectrometry. The company's tissue imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) service allows pharmaceutical and clinical research customers to gain important insights into disease progression, treatment, and metabolic response. Protein Discovery is also developing a powerful suite of sample preparation products specifically designed to meet the data quality and throughput demands of customers using mass spectrometry in the life sciences industry. The ability to reproducibly identify and quantify suites of clinically significant biomarkers will enhance patient health by improving the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease. For additional information, please visit www.proteindiscovery.com.

About LEAP Technologies
LEAP Technologies automates analytical processes for small and large molecules in extracted liquids, solids, and recently in human, animal and plant tissues. LEAP provides the precise robotics and efficient sample prep required by modern measurement techniques such as MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy. LEAP Technologies was founded in 1989 and is based in Carrboro, NC. For additional information, please visit www.leaptec.com or call (919) 929-8814.

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