FzioMed Receives NIH Grant to Study Injectable Delivery of Bone Growth Peptides for Spinal Fusion

SAN LUIS OBISPO, California – November 15, 2005 – FzioMed, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support development of a novel injectable product for acceleration of bone healing in spinal fusion procedures.

FzioMed is developing its proprietary Oxiplex gel technology as an injectable delivery system for synthetic peptides for use in bone growth and cartilage repair applications. The NIH grant will support preclinical studies to determine the optimal Oxiplex gel for injectable delivery of a bone growth peptide, and to evaluate the efficacy of the peptide in bone healing.

FzioMed’s Oxiplex is a patented, synthetic biomaterial that can be formulated for use in a variety of medical applications. FzioMed recently acquired the exclusive, worldwide rights to a patented platform of novel, synthetic bone growth peptides that have been shown to have osteoinductive properties. The company is combining the peptides into Oxiplex gels to create products for use in orthopedic and spinal procedures.

“This grant is an endorsement of the innovative products we are developing to improve patients’ lives,” said John Krelle, President and Chief Operating Officer of FzioMed. “The osteoinductive materials currently used in spinal fusions can be expensive to manufacture and may not provide optimum performance. We believe that by combining synthetic peptides with injectable, synthetic Oxiplex gels, FzioMed can produce a more cost-effective solution for bone healing in spinal fusion procedures.”

About FzioMed

FzioMed is a privately held medical company engaged in the development and commercialization of synthetic, absorbable biomaterials based on the company’s patented Oxiplex technology. FzioMed is developing products for adhesion prevention, tissue augmentation and regeneration, and the delivery of drugs. Oxiplex is an innovative polymer technology with uses in a variety of specialties including orthopedics, gynecology, general surgery, neurosurgery and aesthetic surgery. FzioMed products include Oxiplex/SP, the leading adhesion barrier for spine surgery currently marketed outside of the United States, Oxiplex/AP adhesion barrier for gynecologic and general surgery, and a cosmetic dermal filler.

FzioMed® and Oxiplex® are registered trademarks of FzioMed, Inc.