Marina Biotech Continues to Build Worldwide Patent Protection for Its SMARTICLES(R) Nucleic Acid Delivery Technology

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Feb 27, 2014) -  Marina Biotech, Inc. (OTC Pink: MRNA), a leading oligonucleotide-based drug discovery and development company focused on rare diseases, announced today that a decision to grant a patent has been issued for the Company's fundamental SMARTICLES^® delivery technology in Japan (Ser. No. 2010-211089). The claims of this National Stage Application cover fundamental amphoteric liposomes made with preferred amphipathic components, and are a combination of a weak, but variable, anionic charge carrier and a weak cationic charge carrier. The granted claims cover amphoteric liposomes that are suitable for designing specific formulation systems for both the controlled- and sustained-release of nucleic acid therapeutic cargos, including RNA, DNA, antisense and nucleic acid decoys. In addition, the granted claims cover pharmaceutical preparations made from the amphoteric liposomes, a key to successful commercialization of the therapeutics. 

"In view of our other intellectual property announcements over the past six months, it is clear we have established a rapid pace for the grant and issuance of patents covering the heart of our therapeutic capabilities -- nucleic acid delivery," stated J. Michael French, President and CEO at Marina Biotech. "With this decision to grant from the Japan Patent Office, Marina Biotech continues to expand the scope of granted intellectual property covering the fundamental components of our SMARTICLES delivery technology. To date, similar claims in this patent family have been granted for SMARTICLES technology in Europe and the US. Thus, this decision to grant reflects worldwide market coverage of our SMARTICLES delivery capabilities. The expanding patent coverage for both our DiLA² and SMARTICLES delivery technologies continues to establish our competitive advantage in delivering nucleic acid-based therapeutics." 

SMARTICLES is currently in clinical development through licensees ProNAi Therapeutics, Inc. and Mirna Therapeutics, Inc. in both a Phase 2 trial delivering a single-stranded DNA decoy and in a Phase 1 trial delivering a double-stranded microRNA mimic, respectively. In December 2013, at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Hematology in New Orleans, ProNAi presented safety and efficacy data from its ongoing Phase II study. ProNAi presented data demonstrating that PNT2258, their first-in-class BCL2 targeted drug, exhibited single agent anti-tumor activity in patients with recurrent or refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Further, PNT2258 is safe at a dose of 120 mg/m2 IV administered for 2-3 hours on days 1-5 of a 21-day schedule. No tumor lysis syndrome or major organ toxicities were observed. No occurrences of elevated liver enzymes, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, renal failure/dysfunction, or infections were noted. 

About Marina Biotech, Inc.
Marina Biotech is an oligonucleotide therapeutics company with a broad drug discovery platform providing the ability to develop proprietary single and double-stranded nucleic acid therapeutics including siRNAs, microRNA mimics, antagomirs, and antisense compounds, including messengerRNA therapeutics. The platform was built via a roll-up strategy to discover and develop different types of nucleic acid therapeutics in order to modulate (up or down) a specific protein(s) which is either being produced too much or too little thereby causing a particular disease. We believe that the Marina Biotech platform has unique strengths as a drug discovery engine for the development of nucleic acid-based therapeutics for rare and orphan diseases. Further, we believe Marina is the only company in the sector that has a delivery technology in human clinical trials with differentiated classes of payloads, through licensees ProNAi Therapeutics and Mirna Therapeutics, delivering single-stranded and double-stranded nucleic acid payloads, respectively. Our novel chemistries and other delivery technologies have been validated through license agreements with Roche, Novartis, Monsanto, and Tekmira. The Marina Biotech pipeline currently includes a clinical program in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (a precancerous syndrome) and two preclinical programs -- in bladder cancer and myotonic dystrophy. Marina Biotech's goal is to improve human health through the development of RNAi- and oligonucleotide-based compounds and drug delivery technologies that together provide superior therapeutic options for patients. Additional information about Marina Biotech is available at www.marinabio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Federal Securities laws that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) the ability of Marina Biotech to obtain additional funding; (ii) the ability of Marina Biotech to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, research, development and commercialization partners; (iii) the ability of Marina Biotech and/or a partner to successfully complete product research and development, including preclinical and clinical studies and commercialization; (iv) the ability of Marina Biotech and/or a partner to obtain required governmental approvals; and (v) the ability of Marina Biotech and/or a partner to develop and commercialize products prior to, and that can compete favorably with those of, competitors. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in Marina Biotech's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Marina Biotech assumes no obligation to update and supplement forward-looking statements because of subsequent events.