Oxonica Receives Double Honors at Small Times "Best of Small Tech" Awards

Business Wire, Sept 29, 2006

OXFORD, England -- Oxonica plc (AIM:OXN), a leading international nanotechnology group, today announced that is has been honored in two categories of the Small Times Magazine Best of Small Tech Awards, conferred today at the NanoCon conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michael Natan, Ph.D., President of Oxonica Inc., was named in the Business Leader of the Year category while Oxonica's Nanoplex[TM] Biotags were finalists in the Product of the Year category. This is the second consecutive year in which Oxonica has received two Best of Small Tech honors: in 2005 Oxonica CEO Kevin Matthews was named Business Leader of the Year and Peter Dobson, a founder of Oxonica and academic director of Oxford University Begbroke Science Park, was named Innovator of the Year.

Michael Natan, PhD, President, Oxonica Inc.

As President of Oxonica Inc., Dr. Michael Natan guides technical development of the company's product portfolio for the diagnostics and security markets. Formerly CEO and co-founder of Nanoplex Technologies, Inc., Dr. Natan led the 2005 acquisition of Nanoplex Technologies by Oxonica. Dr. Natan has unparalleled experience in metal nanoparticle technology with more than 60 published papers and several issued patents to his name.

"We are very proud that Michael has been recognized by Small Times not only for his scientific expertise, but also for his business acumen," said Kevin Matthews, CEO of Oxonica. "As part of our executive team, Michael is leading the charge in bringing our Nanoplex[TM] Biotags to the commercial marketplace particularly in our growing US footprint."

Nanoplex[TM] Biotags

Addressing rising healthcare costs and demands for targeted patient assessment and treatment, Oxonica's Nanoplex[TM] Biotags provide a platform for faster, more precise disease and biomarker detection across the entire diagnostics spectrum from clinical laboratory through point-of-care. The proprietary Nanoplex[TM] Biotag technology leverages surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to deliver a unique multiplexing detection technology that is capable of simultaneously measuring numerous biomarkers in a single test without interference from biological matrices such as whole blood and tissue. Constructed around a 50-nanometer diameter gold core, the award-winning platform technology couples a unique reporter molecule encapsulated in a protective glass layer with any desired biomarker detection molecule. When irradiated with near-infrared laser light, the reporter molecule produces a highly specific signal, amplified one million-fold by the gold nanoparticle, that indicates the presence and quantity of the associated biomarker. Nanoplex[TM] biotags can be incorporated into standard assay formats, resulting in simple, rapid diagnostic tests that have the potential to drive process efficiencies and result accuracy in laboratory, clinical, hospital and near-patient settings.

"Healthcare providers are increasingly focused on improved clinical outcome predication and early intervention as a strategy for reducing costs and improving patient care, significant needs that can be addressed through better diagnostic technologies," said David Browning, CEO of Oxonica Healthcare. "We believe our Nanoplex[TM] Biotags present a fundamental shift in diagnostics, delivering the ability to simultaneously test for multiple biomarkers in a wide range for formats, from lateral flow to innovative and robust assay devices that bring the performance of the central hospital lab to the bedside. We are pleased that Small Times has recognized the value of this technology."

Judged by a panel of technology and business leaders, the annual Small Times Best of Small Tech Awards honor the outstanding products, companies, business leaders, researchers, innovators and advocates that have significantly impacted the small tech in the past year. For the complete list of Best of Small Tech award winners, visit www.smalltimes.com

About Oxonica plc - www.oxonica.com

Oxonica (AIM:OXN.L) is one of the leading International nanomaterials groups with products already launched into international markets and is listed in London on the AIM market. It was spun-out from Oxford University in 1999 and currently employs 56 professional staff. Oxonica's mission is to focus on the development of innovative commercial solutions for international markets using its expertise in the design and application of nanomaterials. It owns a portfolio of demand driven products that offer substantial benefits to the target markets of energy, healthcare, materials and security.

The Group currently has four operating divisions: Oxonica Energy, Oxonica Healthcare, Oxonica Materials and Oxonica Security. Oxonica has already launched products into international markets. Lead products include:

* Envirox[TM] Fuel Borne Nanocatalyst - a nanocatalyst improving fuel economy and reducing emissions

* Optisol[TM] UV Absorber - a revolutionary photostable UV protection system designed to optimise the performance of quality sunscreens and anti-premature aging products