Last year, deCODE discovered single-letter variations in the human genome(SNPs) on chromosome 9p21 that increase risk of heart attack, and launched itsdeCODE MI(TM) reference laboratory test to enable clinicians to measure thisrisk factor as part of their efforts to provide the best preventive strategiesfor their patients. In the study today, the Baylor team and colleagues fromother academic institutions analyzed the clinical utility of testing for the9p21 risk factor by adding it to a range of standard CHD risk factors followedby ARIC, a major, NIH-funded prospective study of cardiovascular disease andcare begun in 1987. Through an analysis of more than 10,000 ARIC participantsof European descent for whom 9p21 status was known, the study found thatknowing the 9p21 risk made the assessment of individual risk more accurate andresulted in the reclassification from one risk category to another of asignificant proportion of the overall cohort. The impact was most pronouncedin the categories of intermediate risk, in which individuals were estimated tobe at a 5-10% risk of CHD in the next ten years, and intermediate-high, withindividuals at an estimated 10 -20% 10-year CHD risk. In these categories, 19%and 17% of people, respectively, were shifted to a different risk category asa result of integrating their 9p21 status. This reclassification would resultin a change in target LDL-cholesterol levels and thus in recommended lipid-lowering therapy.

"The results of this study demonstrate that integrating deCODE MI(TM) intothe standard list of risk factors now used to assess CHD risk can improve theprediction of risk of future cardiac events. This provides physicians with amore accurate basis upon which to target cholesterol levels for individualpatients and thus for tailoring statin use, in addition to addressing otherrisk factors such as obesity, smoking and hypertension. The study is all themore important because deCODE MI is available to clinicians today through ourCLIA-registered laboratory," said Dr. Kari Stefansson, M.D., Dr. Med., CEO ofdeCODE.

About deCODE MI(TM)

deCODE MI(TM) is a DNA-based test for identifying individuals at increasedrisk for myocardial infarction (MI). It is a reference laboratory test whichdetects versions of SNPs in the CDKN2A/2B gene region on chromosome 9p21.deCODE genetics has reported, based on studies of thousands of patients inmultiple cohorts from the US and Europe, that individuals who are positive forthis test are at approximately 1.6-times higher risk of MI, and atapproximately twice the risk of early-onset MI (before age 50 in men and age60 in women) than are those without the genetic risk variants. About 20% ofpeople of European descent are positive for this test. deCODE's findings havebeen confirmed in multiple studies in the US, Canada, United Kingdom andEurope.

How to order deCODE MI(TM)

Additional information and physician order forms for deCODE MI(TM) can befound at http://www.decodediagnostics.com. The price of the test is $200dollars and deCODE facilitates reimbursement from commercial insurers. Testingis performed in deCODE's CLIA-registered laboratory, which has analyzed thegenomes of hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe.

About deCODE

deCODE is a bio-pharmaceutical company developing drugs and DNA-basedtests to improve the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of common diseases.Its lead therapeutic programs, which leverage the company's expertise inchemistry and structural biology, include DG041, an antiplatelet compoundbeing developed for the prevention of arterial thrombosis; DG051 and DG031,compounds targeting the leukotriene pathway for the prevention of heartattack; and DG071 and a platform for other PDE4 modulators with therapeuticapplications in Alzheimer's disease and other conditions. deCODE is a globalleader in human genetics, and has identified key variations in the genome(SNPs) conferring increased risk of major public health challenges fromcardiovascular disease to cancer. Based upon these discoveries deCODE hasbrought to market a growing range of DNA-based tests for gauging risk andempowering prevention of common diseases. Through its CLIA-registeredlaboratory, deCODE is offers deCODE T2(TM) for type 2 diabetes; deCODE AF(TM)for atrial fibrillation and stroke; deCODE MI(TM) for heart attack; deCODEProCa(TM) for prostate cancer; deCODE Glaucoma(TM) for a major type ofglaucoma; and deCODE BreastCancer, for the common forms of breast cancer.deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new genetics.(SM) Visit us on theweb at http://www.decode.com; on our diagnostics site athttp://www.decodediagnostics.com; for our pioneering personal genome analysisservice, integrating the genetic variants included in these tests and thoselinked to another twenty common diseases, at http://www.decodeme.com; and onour blog at http://www.decodeyou.com.

Any statements contained in this presentation that relate to future plans,events or performance are forward-looking statements within the meaning of thePrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-lookingstatements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could causeactual results, and the timing of events, to differ materially from thosedescribed in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertaintiesinclude, among others, those relating to our ability to obtain financing andto form collaborative relationships, the effect of a potential delisting ofour common stock from The Nasdaq Global Market, uncertainty regardingpotential future deterioration in the market for auction rate securities whichcould negatively affect our cash position and result in additional permanentimpairment charges, our ability to develop and market diagnostic products, thelevel of third party reimbursement for our products, risks related topreclinical and clinical development of pharmaceutical products, including theidentification of compounds and the completion of clinical trials, the effectof government regulation and the regulatory approval processes, marketacceptance, our ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights forour products, dependence on collaborative relationships, the effect ofcompetitive products, industry trends and other risks identified in deCODE'sfilings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, withoutlimitation, the risk factors identified in our most recent Annual Report onForm 10-K and any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in ourQuarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. deCODEundertakes no obligation to update or alter these forward-looking statementsas a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE deCODE genetics