News Release

Zengen, Inc. receives patent application approval for proprietary peptide technology

Business Announcement

Zengen

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. (October 2, 2003) - Zengen, Inc. announced today that the United States Patent Office has approved a patent application for "A Lys-Pro-Val Dimer, Formulations and Applications," which covers novel peptide CZEN 002. This marks the first patent application approval for CZEN 002, with issuance of the patent expected by the end of the year. In addition, Zengen holds multiple patents and patents-pending worldwide on its peptide technologies.

"This development provides further validation of the efficacy of CZEN 002," said R. Steven Davidson, Ph.D., President and CEO of Zengen. "The approved patent application claims are directed to the novel peptide, which has the ability to control infection and/or inflammation associated with, among other disease states, urogenital conditions, including vaginitis."

Zengen is currently conducting Phase I/II clinical trials for CZEN 002, one of the Company's proprietary peptide molecules, for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis, commonly known as vaginal yeast infection. Zengen's peptides have broad applications as anti-inflammatory and anti-infective prescription pharmaceuticals and are based on the larger melanocortin peptide, alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (a-MSH).

About CZEN 002

A synthetic octapeptide, CZEN 002 was developed from more than 25 years of original research in the US, Europe and Asia on peptide molecules derived from alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (a-MSH). There is abundant evidence of the anti-inflammatory and anti-infective activity of CZEN 002 from both in vivo and in vitro research.

Microorganisms (e.g., fungi, bacteria, viruses) cause a host of symptoms by their occupation of vulnerable body sites, overgrowth and subsequent interference with cell metabolism, all of which give rise to a broad range of life-threatening diseases and disorders. In preclinical and clinical studies, CZEN 002 has been shown to directly kill pathological fungi, including Candida albicans, gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, and to inhibit replication of HIV-1, the virus responsible for AIDS.

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About Zengen, Inc.

Incorporated in 1999, Zengen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative products to treat and prevent infection and inflammation through application of its proprietary peptide technologies. For more information about Zengen, please visit www.zengen.com.

Zengen, Inc. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This announcement may contain, in addition to historical information, certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors. The company is developing several products for potential future marketing. There can be no assurance that such development efforts will succeed, that such products will receive required regulatory clearance or that, even if such regulatory clearance were received, such products would ultimately achieve commercial success.


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