Key Fondaparinux Patent Allowed by U.S. Patent Office

Business Wire, Oct 21, 2008

BRISBANE, Australia -- Australian drug developer Alchemia Limited (ASX:ACL) today announced it had received a 'notice of allowance' for the United States patent application titled Synthetic Heparin Pentasaccharides (number 10/488,677). A notice of allowance is a notification to the patent applicant that they are entitled to a patent under the law and is issued for applications that have been filed based on "intent to use." The patent number will be assigned on payment of the grant fees.

"The allowance of this patent provides significant protection for Alchemia's improved synthetic process and a further barrier to entry for other generic manufacturers," said Pete Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Alchemia. "Our preparations for filing for approval are advancing well and today's announcement strengthens our belief that our product will be the first and, potentially, only generic version of Arixtra[R]."

This application represents the first in a series of patent applications in the U.S. covering the compounds and processes for Alchemia's generic fondaparinux program. This patent protects important intermediates in Alchemia's synthetic process and provides Alchemia with the legal means to prevent other companies from using these intermediates, or selling product derived from these intermediates, in the USA.

About Alchemia Limited - www.alchemia.com.au

Alchemia is a drug discovery and development Company founded on its chemistry expertise. The Company's lead program is fondaparinux (a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Arixtra[R], a synthetic anticoagulant mainly used for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis). Fondaparinux is expected to generate near term revenues for the company commencing in 2009. It is partnered with Dr Reddy's Laboratories Inc. for the U.S. market. Alchemia's pipeline of assets is built on two platform technologies: HyACT[R] (targeted cancer delivery) and VAST(TM) (drug discovery).