Calgary, Alberta
May 13, 2002

DermaSphere(TM) ingredient system enhances delivery technology and topical formulations

SemBioSys Genetics Inc., a Calgary-based biotechnology company, announced today that it has been granted U.S. Patent 6,372,234 entitled "Products for Topical Applications Comprising Oil Bodies," which covers novel topical emulsion formulations. The patent ensures broad coverage of topical oil body formulations containing antibodies as an active agent.

Issuance of this patent follows the issuance of U.S. Patent 6,288,304 entitled "Expression of Somatotropin in Plant Seeds" in September of 2001. The patent is SemBioSys' ninth issued United States Patent. The company has additional patent applications in prosecution worldwide.

"This development provides further validation of the utility and flexibility of our DermaSphere(TM) Ingredient System technology platform in both personal care and topical pharmaceutical applications," said Andrew Baum, President and Chief Executive Officer at SemBioSys. "The technology covered by this patent offers our partners new product opportunities and additional intellectual property protection for those products."

The DermaSphere(TM) Ingredient System is a new and enabling delivery technology for both personal care and topical pharmaceutical applications. The technology offers potential benefits for the delivery of lipophilic and amphipathic molecules and proteins for topical applications in a cost-effective system with proven flexibility and cosmetic elegance.

SemBioSys is using a variety of genetic engineering technologies to express proteins in the seeds of safflower. SemBioSys' DermaSphere(TM) Ingredient System and Stratosome(TM) Biologics System are enabling technologies that allow for the attachment of proteins to oil bodies -- natural oil storage organelles found in oilseeds -- through either direct targeting or affinity capture. Taking advantage of the simple physical principle that oil is lighter than water, oil bodies can be easily separated from the majority of other seed components. Combined with low-cost production of plant-based systems, this provides a cost-effective solution for bulk protein production, purification and in some cases formulation. SemBioSys operates a pilot manufacturing facility that can deliver oil body-based products and purified protein at scale.

Calgary, Alberta-based SemBioSys Genetics is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the development of high-value protein and oil body-based products using its proprietary oil body-based technology -- the Stratosome(TM) Biologics System. Spun-out of the University of Calgary in 1996, the company's investors include Bay City Capital, Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc., Ventures West, Business Development Bank of Canada, University Technologies International, Royal Bank Capital Partners and Maurice Moloney, Ph.D., scientific founder and chief scientific officer. SemBioSys has
established partnerships with Syngenta, Metabolic Pharmaceuticals, a multinational fine chemical manufacturer and several pharmaceutical companies.

 DermaSphere and Stratosome are trademarks of SemBioSys Genetics Inc.