NEOSE INITIATES PHASE I TRIAL OF NE-180

Neose Technologies has begun dosing healthy volunteers in a Phase I clinical trial of NE-180, the company's long-acting, GlycoPEGylated erythropoietin for the treatment of anemia.

The trial, which is being conducted in Western Europe, will evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of NE-180 in approximately 40 volunteers. The trial is designed as an open-label, single-ascending-dose study that will evaluate both subcutaneous and intravenous administration of NE-180. If the trial results demonstrate that single ascending doses are safe and well tolerated, the company expects to commence a multiple dose Phase IIa trial in the second half of 2006.