Media Release

Basel, 9 January 2003

Roche and deCODE genetics announce identification of significant genetic risk factors for osteoporosis
The companies will apply these discoveries to create a DNA-based diagnostic test to aid effective prevention of the disease

Roche and deCODE genetics (Nasdaq/Nasdaq Europe:DCGN) today announced that deCODE scientists have identified specific variations within a single gene that confer significant increased risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a major public health problem among people 50 years of age and older, particularly women, and is characterized by the progressive thinning and weakening of the bones. Under their alliance to develop and bring to market DNA-based diagnostics, the companies are analyzing these and other markers to create a test that can identify individuals who are at a high risk of developing the disease. Such a test promises to enable effective prevention strategies for the disease itself and for complications such as bone fractures. deCODE receives milestone payments for these discoveries.

In its population genetics research on osteoporosis in Iceland, deCODE has identified seven SNPs (single-base variations in DNA) within a gene on chromosome 20 which confer a several-fold increased risk of osteoporosis. These variations contribute to decreased bone mass density in later life — the hallmark of osteoporosis — as well as to an increased risk of bone fractures, one serious and frequent result of the disease. The deCODE team identified the gene through a population- and genome-wide linkage study involving more than 1,000 patients and unaffected relatives in 139 families.

“We are delighted to see our partnership with deCODE yielding results in such an important disease area”, said Heino von Prondzynski, Head of Roche Diagnostics. “As part of the expansion of our molecular diagnostics business into genomics and women’s health, we will focus our efforts on development of a diagnostic test and will be evaluating opportunities to license this marker to laboratory service providers. We believe this test will provide actionable health information that allows individuals to better understand their risk for osteoporosis and thereby obtain early treatment to help prevent the disease.”

“This is a concrete example of how our breakthroughs in genetics are going to contribute to better healthcare in the very near future. A test that integrates these discoveries will enable doctors to determine early on if their patients are particularly predisposed to osteoporosis and then help them to adopt preventive measures that can significantly reduce their chance of ever developing the disease,” said Dr. Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE. “With Roche we are working to bring to market diagnostic tests and services based on these discoveries. At deCODE we are also working on drug targets identified through this work to develop new therapeutics that will target the same pathway pinpointed by these diagnostic markers.”

About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading research-oriented healthcare groups. The company's two core businesses in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics provide innovative products and services, that address prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, thus enhancing people’s health and quality of life. Roche’s Diagnostics Division, the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide.

About deCODE
deCODE is using population genetics to create a new paradigm for healthcare. With its uniquely comprehensive population data, deCODE is turning research on the genetic causes of common diseases into a growing range of products and services — in gene and drug discovery, DNA-based diagnostics, pharmacogenomics, bioinformatics, and clinical trials. deCODE’s pharmaceuticals group, based in Chicago, and deCODE’s biostructures group, based in Seattle, conduct downstream development work on targets derived from deCODE’s proprietary research in human genetics as well as contract service work for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new genetics.SM Visit deCode on the web.