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AXIS-SHIELD GRANTED US PATENT FOR ACTIVE-B12 TEST

Dundee, Scotland, 12 January 2010: Axis-Shield (LSE:ASD, OSE:ASD), the international in vitro diagnostics company, today announces that is has been granted a US patent for its technology governing the specific detection of Active-B12, or holo-transcobalamin (holoTC), as a more effective way of determining vitamin B12 deficiency. The newly granted patent lasts until 2024.

HoloTC is the biologically available form of vitamin B12. In this specific form it is transported to body tissues and absorbed by cells. Deficiency of vitamin B12 is now a major problem, particularly in elderly populations where the availability of the binding protein Intrinsic Factor, needed in the absorption of this important vitamin, has often been compromised by long-term use of drugs affecting gastric acidity. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in creating red blood cells and keeping the nervous system healthy. It is also needed to absorb folic acid and helps to release energy. Vitamin B12 deficiency should be suspected in all patients with unexplained anaemia and/or neurological symptoms. The elderly, neuropsychiatric and psychiatric patients, and those adhering to a vegetarian diet, are amongst the groups at risk.

Axis-Shield's test is available on the widely-placed AxSYM® analyser from Abbott Diagnostics. A manual ELISA test and an assay on Abbott's highest throughput ARCHITECT® system are in development. A recent symposium on Active-B12 held at the June Euromedlab/IFCC meeting in Innsbruck, Austria, attracted considerable interest and key opinion leaders argued that the assay should now be considered as a replacement for the routine measurement of total B12.  

Ian Gilham, CEO of Axis-Shield, commented: "Our global patent coverage for this important assay has been further strengthened with the approval of this US patent application, which highlights the unique approach of our specific detection of holoTC. We are currently seeking to make this analyte available on a wider range of instrument platforms and the strength of our intellectual property will be an important factor in achieving this goal." 

Enquiries:

Axis-Shield plc	Tel: +44 (0)203 178 7849
Ian Gilham, Chief Executive Officer
Ronny Hermansen, Finance Director
Financial Dynamics	Tel: +44 (0)207 831 3113
Jonathan Birt/ Julia Phillips

Notes to Editors:

About Axis-Shield

Axis-Shield is an international in vitro diagnostics company, headquartered in Dundee with R&D and manufacturing bases in Dundee and Oslo. The Group specialises in the supply of instruments and tests for the rapidly growing physician's office testing market and the development, manufacture and marketing of innovative proprietary diagnostics kits in areas of clinical need, including cardiovascular and neurological diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis and diabetes. 

For more information on Axis-Shield, please refer to www.axis-shield.com

Information on Active-B12 is available at www.active-b12.com

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