Life Sciences in BC Gets a Boost From New Partnership

VANCOUVER, May 24, 2011 -

A unique funding program from Genome British Columbia (Genome BC) will
enable one of BC's emerging biotech companies, Sirius Genomics Inc. (Sirius),
to undertake final steps towards development of a biomarker aimed at
dramatically improving the treatment of sepsis. Sirius Genomics is the local
leader in the development of companion diagnostics and is now on the cusp of
validating biomarkers that may play a significant role in the treatment of
sepsis.

Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality in hospitals and a heavy burden on
healthcare systems - there are greater than 1.5 million new cases of severe
sepsis per year in North America and Europe with close to 100,000 cases of
sepsis diagnosed annually in Canada alone. Thirty to 70% of these result in
mortality. With the correct treatment these numbers could be significantly
reduced.

Sirius has begun validation of its genomic biomarkers that will assess
responsiveness to recombinant human activated protein C, the only approved
therapeutic for treatment of severe sepsis. Ultimately the diagnostic tool
being developed could help physicians to select patients that will benefit
from treatment with activated protein C.

Genome BC is supporting this validation study through Genome BC's
Strategic Opportunities Fund for Industry (SOFi) program. The SOFi program
seeks to accelerate commercial potential with local companies and facilitate
collaboration with industry.

Chris Wagner, President and CEO of Sirius Genomics, says, "Non-dilutive
funding received from federal and provincial sources is vital for encouraging
growth and innovation in the life sciences sector. Genome BC is a known
leader in genomic sciences research, and their support for this program is
very important to Sirius. This funding will improve the probability of
success for our program by allowing us to fund increased enrolment of
patients into our pivotal biomarker validation study."

"Sirius Genomics' sepsis work fits the goals of the SOFi program
perfectly. Sirius' work in companion diagnostics and personalized medicine
holds great promise for patients, physicians, and the healthcare system in
the management of sepsis. We believe that development and the near term
commercialization of products and services that advance innovation in the
marketplace are definitive outcomes of this work and we are pleased to be a
key supporter," says Dr. Alan Winter, President and CEO of Genome BC.

About Sirius Genomics:

Sirius Genomics develops companion diagnostics (CDx) that are closely
tied to therapeutic decisions, leading to better patient outcomes through
personalized medicine. Sirius generates value by improving the safety and
effectiveness of pharmaceutical compounds. The Company correlates patient
genetics with clinical outcomes, leading to proprietary and commercially
viable CDx products that enable better drug treatment. Sirius' first product
is a genetic predictor of response to treatment for sepsis, a severe blood
infection. www.siriusgenomics.com

About Genome British Columbia:

Genome British Columbia is a catalyst for the life sciences cluster on
Canada's West Coast, and manages a cumulative portfolio of over $450M in
technology platforms and research projects. Working with governments,
academia and industry across sectors such as forestry, fisheries,
agriculture, environment, bioenergy, mining and human health, the goal of the
organization is to generate social and economic benefits for British Columbia
and Canada. www.genomebc.ca

This release contains forward-looking statements that are not based on
historical fact. These forward-looking statements involve risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or
developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on such forward-looking statements.

For further information:

Kamran Alam, Senior Director, Business Development, Sirius Genomics,
+1-(604)-484-7195, kalam@siriusgenomics.com

Jennifer Boon, Communications Specialist, Genome British Columbia,
+1-(778)-327-8374, jboon@genomebc.ca

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