Targeson, Inc. receives SBIR Grant

San Diego, CA - September 12, 2011 - Targeson, Inc. (www.targeson.com) announced today that it has received notice of funding for the Company’s SBIR Phase II grant by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This project, entitled “Ultrasound-triggered delivery of siRNA as treatment for diabetic kidney disease,” will explore the use of Targeson’s targeted microspheres as a safe and efficient delivery platform of nucleic acid therapies in kidney disease. Research will be conducted in conjunction with Kumar Sharma, MD, Director of the Center for Renal Translational Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

There are currently no gene delivery agents able to mediate targeted transfection in vivo. The aim of this grant is to validate a novel microsphere-based vehicle for targeted delivery of siRNA in a clinically relevant animal model of renal dysfunction. Targeson has successfully developed methods of binding small molecule targeting ligands to microspheres using biocompatible coupling chemistry suitable for eventual translation to human use. Targeson has also demonstrated conjugation of nucleic acids to the surface of novel microspheres and the subsequent transfection of agents in vitro and vivo. This grant will seek to validate this strategy in mouse models of diabetic kidney disease.

About Targeson, Inc.

Targeson develops, manufactures and markets ultrasound imaging agents for functional and molecular imaging applications in the research market. Targeson’s commercial products include: Targestar® P, a non-targeted ultrasound contrast agent designed to enhance and quantify blood flow and vascular function; Targestar P-HF, a perfusion contrast agent specifically designed to be used with high frequency ultrasound scanners; Targestar SA, a targetable ultrasound contrast agent enabling any biotinylated antibody or biomolecule to be coupled to a microsphere, making it suitable for a wide variety of molecular imaging applications including tumor angiogenesis, myocardial infarction, atherosclerotic plaque, thrombosis, organ transplant rejection and inflammatory diseases; Visistar® Integrin, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent coated with a peptide that binds integrin αvβ3; and Visistar VEGFR2, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent coated with a VEGFR2 binding ligand, both indicated for molecular imaging of angiogenesis and tumor growth; Visistar VCAM-1, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent indicated for molecular imaging of inflammation.

For further information please contact 877-290-4043/858-427-3675 or info@targeson.com

Targestar® and Visistar® are registered trademarks of Targeson, Inc.