GeneEx, Inc.

GeneEx is a biotechnology company developing a simple and inexpensive chair-side test to diagnose early periodontal disease. The diagnostic, requiring only a few minutes and a saliva sample, will allow dentists to identify the onset of periodontitis before clinical symptoms are evident, allowing early intervention. In the hands of periodontists, the test will provide a sensitive indication of active periodontal disease to help them gauge the success of treatment. Developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Florida Dental School, the test detects pathogenesis in progress by measuring patient antibodies to specific proteins that are made by the pathogens only during infection of humans (so-called "virulence factor proteins").

The test, which can be given during a routine dental examination, is a unique diagnostic that will be capable of detecting the earliest stages of periodontal infection. One third of the adults in the U.S., or 67 million people, are afflicted with some form of periodontal disease. About 13 million with advanced periodontitis undergo surgical treatment each year, accounting for an annual expenditure of $15 billion in the U.S. There is no other predictive test available today for the onset of periodontitis, and periodontitis routinely goes undetected until damage has been done. The GeneEx test will allow early intervention in the treatment of the disease, as well as monitoring of the success of treatment.

www.geneexinc.com