SARASOTA, Fla., Jun 30, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) --  Catalyst Communications, Inc.
(Pink Sheets:CLYC) announced today that it has signed a letter of intent to
acquire privately held DNAPrint genomics Inc., a Sarasota, Florida based genomic
research and personalized medicine corporation.
 
DNAPrint genomics is developing a cutting edge informatics platform for the
application of human genome information to medical practice. The analytical
tools that DNAPrint genomics, Inc. will offer focus on the dissection of complex
genetic traits through the study of human genetic variation. Currently, there
are no such tools available within the Genomics community. Association of
genotype with phenotype is usually accomplished using relatively simple
association tools. However, simple tools do little to unravel the inherently
complex patterns at work. Since most human diseases and drug interaction
responses are the result of complex genetic and environmental interactions, this
represents a serious gap in our understanding of the genetic basis for disease
and drug response. With the recent completion of the bulk of the Human Genome
Project, along with the recent introduction of automated, high-throughput
genotyping hardware systems, it is now theoretically feasible to conduct
systematic, population-based studies of complex human traits and diseases. Still
lacking in the genomics community are sophisticated analytical tools that help
decipher the massive amounts of data involved with these studies. DNAPrint
genomics intends to provide these analytical tools.
 
DNAPrint genomics details
 
The PhenomeSM platform system currently being developed by the Company will
allow biopharmaceutical research and development companies, academic
institutions and primary health care facilities to combine genomic research with
individual genetic profiles to define, diagnose and treat human diseases on a
level never before possible.
 
The main market for the company's product is the clinical community. It is
widely accepted that recent technological advancements in high-throughput
genotyping, and emerging public domain human genome information resources will
combine to evolve medicine toward a more "patient-centric" model, where medical
professionals will define their diagnoses and treatment regimens in terms of a
patient's unique genetic profile. Rather than prescribe drugs, or diagnose
disease, based on average responses or characteristics from the population,
patients of the future will be considered within the context of their personal
genetic make-up, or genotype. The tailoring of medicine to a patient based on
their genotype is known as personalized, or customized medicine, and this
medicine will rely on systematic and comprehensive analysis of human genetic
variation through SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) sequencing.
 
DNAPrint genomics Business
 
The company will provide practitioners of genomic research and personalized
medicine with a comprehensive system for disease dissection and patient
classification. Physicians will be able to use the company's system, through a
combination of on-site hardware/software placement and ASP (application-service
provider) resources, to draw highly sophisticated conclusions and associations
between patient genotype data and database patterns from historical studies.
Many of these studies will be performed by DNAPrint genomics and/or its
partners. The analytical heart of the system is a collection of sophisticated
algorithms that enable a progression from the multivariate dissection of
high-density genotype matrices to multi-dimensional associations with complex
human traits. The system uses a variety of novel mathematical modeling and
programming techniques, which comprise the bulk of the company's budding
intellectual property portfolio. The company has already filed patent
applications for a genetic analysis reagent that confers considerable advantages
for high-throughput DNA sequencing and genotyping, and has filed applications
for five trade and/or service marks connected with the companies business model.
The company intends to patent the application of its informatics platform to the
field of genomic research and for personalized medical applications.
 
During the development phase of this informatics platform, the company performs
genetic variation studies on a number of different target areas, including drug
response and cancer. Not only do these targets provide a comprehensive training
set for the algorithms and models developed by the company, but the genetic
patterns discovered through the analysis represent separate, and valuable
assets. For example, the application of the informatics platform to patients
which exhibit side-effects for a certain drug can produce a valuable diagnostic
product which could reduce patient morbidity associated with the use of that
drug. The company intends to patent and use these "information" assets to
generate near-term revenue growth and profitability.
 
DNAPrint genomics Inc. was founded by a group of scientists with research and
commercial experience in high-level mathematical modeling, programming and
molecular genetics. Combined, the founders have amassed over 47 years of
experience in these fields, published 31 peer-reviewed papers and filed 42
patent applications covering over 350 unique genetic products in 25 different
countries. Chief Scientific Officer, Tony Frudakis, Ph.D. stated, "We are
excited by the prospect of coupling our scientific goals with CLYC's financial
positioning outside of the genomics community. We consider this an ideal way to
fund a genomics based business plan in a manner which is responsible to
near-term as well as long-term investors." DNAPrint genomics, Inc. is located at
1748 Independence Blvd. Suite D1, Sarasota, FL 34234. For more information about
the company, please visit www.dnaprint.com.
 
Catalyst Communications, Inc. is in the process of filing its Form 10SB and is
attempting to become a reporting company under the provisions of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, so it will be eligible to be quoted on the
NASD's OTC Bulletin Board.
 
Except for factual statements made herein, the information contained in this
press release consists of forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those
contained in such statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences include unexpected shortages of critical components, rescheduling or
cancellation of customer orders, the timing and market acceptance of new product
introductions by the Company and its competitors, and general competition and
price pressures in the marketplace. Reference is also made to other factors set
forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
 
 CONTACT:          Scientific Inquiries:
                   DNAPrint genomics Inc., Sarasota
                   Tony Frudakis, 941/351-4543
                   or
                   Investor Inquiries:
                   Catalyst Communications Inc., Sarasota
                   Richard Craig Hall, 941/341-0136