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Abstract:
Chad A. Mirkin, Ph.D., has been selected as one of the first recipients of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Pioneer Award.

Nanosphere Inc. Founder, Chad A. Mirkin, Ph.D., Wins First NIH Director's Pioneer Award

Northbrook, Ill., October 5, 2004

Nanosphere Inc., a nanotechnology-based life sciences company, today announced its founder, Chad A. Mirkin, Ph.D., has been selected as one of the first recipients of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Pioneer Award. The $2.5 million that Dr. Mirkin will receive is designed to support highly innovative ideas and approaches to critically important scientific questions. Dr. Mirkin is one of only nine researchers chosen from a field of 1,350 nominees.

"This award recognizes the significant contributions of Dr. Mirkin's nanotechnology research to the life sciences and their potential to improve medical care," said William Moffitt, Nanosphere's Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Mirkin will use this new award to test far-ranging ideas with the potential to make extraordinary contributions to medical research including further exploration of breakthrough applications for his ultra-sensitive protein detection technology first reported in the September 2003 issue of Science.

The ability to study biological behavior at the cellular level with nanotechnology tools is unprecedented. Ultra-sensitive protein detection will enable the discovery and validation of new biomarkers with up to one million times more sensitivity than current methods. This level of sensitivity can lead to broader and earlier diagnosis of illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.

This method for biomarker detection at extremely low concentrations has been exclusively licensed to Nanosphere. Moreover, new inventions arising from Dr. Mirkin's work in the field of nanoparticles are licensed exclusively to Nanosphere for commercialization in the field of diagnostics and life sciences.

Nanosphere, a privately held company with headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, is developing and commercializing nanotechnology platforms that set new standards in patient care and public safety. Nanosphere's technology enables the discovery of new biomarkers at concentrations previously undetectable through traditional means while addressing the persistent need for simplified molecular testing for DNA, RNA and proteins.