A Powerful New Tool for Early Identification of High Risk Patients Early
             Intervention Can Help Prevent Disease Progression

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Tethys Bioscience, Inc. announced
today at the 68th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association
(ADA) that it has expanded the availability of its novel PreDx(TM) Diabetes
Risk Test, a first-of-its-kind predictive tool that delivers an accurate
assessment of an individual's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes within the
next five years. The test is performed exclusively by the Tethys Bioscience
Clinical Laboratory on routinely collected blood samples.

    The new blood test is designed to help physicians identify patients at
highest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes so that they can promote
lifestyle changes or initiate treatment plans to prevent or slow
progression to Type 2 diabetes. Numerous studies have demonstrated that
such interventions can reduce the incidence of new onset diabetes by
30-60%.

    "There are a number of proven methods that clinicians can use to delay
or prevent Type 2 diabetes in high-risk people," said Dr. Thomas Buchanan,
Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School
of Medicine. "The problem has been the lack of an easy-to-use clinical test
to identify the high-risk people. The PreDx Diabetes Risk Test solves that
problem. For the first time, clinicians can order a single blood test to
assess their patients' diabetes risk and identify those who are in greatest
need of diabetes prevention. This is a real paradigm shift."

    Using data generated from thousands of patients who were monitored for
up to 17 years, Tethys identified specific proteins and other biomarkers
that are most predictive of a person's progression to Type 2 diabetes.
Through comprehensive analysis of proteins and integration of multiple
risk-defining biomarkers, the company developed a sophisticated test
capable of stratifying at-risk individuals. Using a routine blood sample,
Tethys provides an individualized risk report that indicates the likelihood
of diabetes onset in a patient within the next five years.

    "It is already known that we are facing a diabetes epidemic that will
only grow worse in the next 10-20 years," said Dr. Sean Sullivan, Director
of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy at the University of
Washington. "The ability to identify patients at high risk years ahead of
disease diagnosis may allow us to halt diabetes progression, saving lives
and helping to maintain or improve the quality of life for our patients,
while also reducing the overall expenses associated with the disease."

    "We are very proud to offer this innovative, clinically useful tool
that enables physicians to accurately identify those at highest risk of
developing Type 2 diabetes long before the disease occurs," said Mickey
Urdea, founder, chairman, and CEO of Tethys Bioscience. "The PreDx Diabetes
Risk Test can help physicians and patients to change the course of diabetes
progression. Our mission is to provide tools that will facilitate early
intervention in preventable diseases."

    A presentation to be made at the ADA's 68th Scientific Sessions this
week supports the accuracy and clinical utility of the PreDx Diabetes Risk
Test. The report entitled



    Training and Validation of a Multimarker Algorithm for the Prediction of
    Type 2 Diabetes from a 5 Yr Prospective Study of 6,784 Danish People
    (Inter99)
    J. Kolberg, et al.
    shows that a simple blood test, based on multiple serum biomarkers,
indicates the risk of conversion to Type 2 diabetes, which can provide
doctors and patients with objective, quantitative information to intervene
and prevent the onset of the disease. These results are being presented in
poster format (#1019-P) from Saturday, June 7 through Monday, June 9 in
Hall D of San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. Furthermore, a number
of publications concerning Tethys' work will appear in the next several
months.

    About Type 2 diabetes

    The United States and countries throughout the world face a growing
epidemic of diabetes. More than 60 million individuals are at risk for Type
2 diabetes in the U.S. alone, with more than 14.6 million diagnosed and 6.2
million remaining undiagnosed. The total annual economic cost of diabetes
in the US in 2007 was estimated to be $174 billion, an increase of over 30%
in the past five years.

    Tethys believes that the best way to reduce the heavy economic and
health burdens of diabetes is to arm people with the tools they need to
understand their true risk of developing the disease. Preventing or
delaying the progression to Type 2 diabetes has the potential to
dramatically alter the economic and health impact of the disease.

    Tethys is partnering with leading diabetes research centers and
physicians to provide practical information that at-risk individuals can
use to reduce their likelihood of progressing to Type 2 diabetes.

    About Tethys Bioscience

    Tethys Bioscience is a personalized predictive medicine company
developing novel tests which address the growing global healthcare
challenge of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Founded in 2005, the
company incorporates an experienced management team, innovative research
based on sound science, a CLIA-licensed clinical laboratory, a
commercialization team with extensive experience in diagnostic innovation,
strategic alliances with world-class researchers and partners, and a solid
financial foundation to help transform the management of chronic diseases
by providing personalized, preventive solutions that aid every
constituency: patients, doctors, and the healthcare system as a whole.

    The PreDx Diabetes Risk Test is performed exclusively by the Tethys
Clinical Laboratory.



    Contacts:
    Jay Kerzner
    Director of Communications
    Tethys Bioscience
    510-420-6746
    jkerzner@tethysbio.com

    Hal Mackins
    Media Relations for Tethys
    (415) 994-0040
    hal.mackins@fkhealth.com

Link to this page: