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To: SSP who wrote (75797)	1/2/2001 10:31:53 PM
From: Jim Bishop	Respond to of 150070

UTHR far out stuff in this news IMO. United Therapeutics Obtains Exclusive License to Autologous Cell-Based Gene Therapy Technology for Pulmonary Hypertension and Other Conditions SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- United Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: UTHR - news) announced today that it has formed a new company with the inventor of a form of gene therapy that does not have the toxicity issues of other forms of gene therapy. This new kind of gene therapy inserts needed genes into a person's cells after those cells have been extracted from their body, and then injects the genetically-modified cells back into the person's body. The approach avoids the need to use viral vectors to bring new genes into the body, which gives rise to toxic immunoreactivity and other health problems. The new technology is called autologous cell-based gene therapy and has been successfully proven in studies of animals with pulmonary hypertension. ``I am thrilled to be able to take this important step toward a possible gene therapy cure for pulmonary hypertension,'' said Martine Rothblatt, Chairman and CEO of United Therapeutics. ``Coupled with our recently funded discovery at Columbia University of a gene responsible for pulmonary hypertension, this new partnership helps us stay at the forefront of the genomic revolution for the benefit of pulmonary disease patients.'' The inventor of the autologous gene therapy approach to treating pulmonary hypertension and other diseases, Dr. Duncan Stewart of the University of Toronto, agreed to form a new Canada-based company with United Therapeutics, and to license to that company the exclusive rights to his invention. The new company, called Endogen, is majority owned by United Therapeutics with minority ownership by Dr. Stewart's technology development company and by Dacha Capital, a Montreal-based investment fund. The new company will also receive Canadian marketing rights to United Therapeutics' second generation prostacyclin analog, Unipeg. The CEO of the new company will be Dr. Gilles Cloutier, who will also continue to serve as United Therapeutics' Executive Vice President for Business Development. United Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on combating cardiovascular, inflammatory and infectious diseases with unique therapeutic products. SOURCE: United Therapeutics