Business Wire - August 20,2001

Visitors to the American Liver Foundation Web site (www.liverfoundation.org) can now access Veritas Medicine's interactive online clinical trials matching service which connects patients and their physicians to appropriate research studies for hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus affecting over 4 million Americans.

"There is a national need to help further clinical research for hepatitis C and to assist patients with the disease who are seeking relevant clinical trials," said Alan P. Brownstein, President and CEO of the American Liver Foundation. "Veritas Medicine provides a convenient means by which hepatitis C patients can become well-informed about clinical trials, enabling them and their families to discuss this treatment option, confidently and knowledgeably, with their doctor."

Visitors to ALF's Web site can link to Veritas Medicine's hepatitis-specific disease page (www.veritasmedicine.com/hepatitisc) where they can access original medical information on hepatitis C written exclusively for Veritas Medicine by Chinweiki Ukomadu, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. This content details current and investigational treatments for hepatitis C, equipping patients, their families and physicians with the tools to make better-informed decisions about their treatment options. Users can also search for appropriate hepatitis C clinical trials using Veritas Medicine's unique My Clinical Trials(TM) technology. An online questionnaire enables patients to establish, privately and anonymously, their eligibility for relevant clinical trials based on both their health status and geographic location.

According to the ALF, approximately 4 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C, which is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. An estimated 10,000 people die as the result of chronic hepatitis C liver disease each year, and if current trends continue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate annual deaths from hepatitis C will increase to 38,000 by the year 2010. There is no vaccine to prevent transmission of the disease and current therapies are only effective in just over 50% of the patient population, underscoring the need for new and better treatments.

"Veritas Medicine is committed to connecting patients and doctors with appropriate clinical trials in the hope that, through their participation, we may come closer to a cure for prevalent, serious diseases like hepatitis C," said Joe Avellone, M.D., CEO of Veritas Medicine. "Like the American Liver Foundation, Veritas Medicine believes that the millions of Americans battling hepatitis C deserve better access to information on the latest advances in clinical research."

About the American Liver Foundation

The American Liver Foundation is the leading nonprofit, national voluntary health organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of hepatitis and other liver diseases through research, education and advocacy. Information about hepatitis and other liver diseases is available through its National Helpline (1-800 GO LIVER) available 24-hours a day, seven days a week, as well as its Web site (www.liverfoundation.org). ALF's efforts are further enhanced by its national network of 30 chapters and affiliates which sponsor educational programs, support groups and special events to raise funds for liver disease research and education. ALF is a member of the National Health Council.

About Veritas Medicine

Based in Cambridge, Mass., Veritas Medicine is the first comprehensive online medical resource developed to address the needs of patients, physicians and other healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical sponsors through a centralized and highly secure online resource that provides expert, reliable and up-to-date information about clinical trials and treatment options. Veritas Medicine adheres to the strictest standards protecting the confidentiality of its users. It is a member of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and the site has received the Seal of Approval from the Health On The Net Foundation (HON Code). These are two of the leading organizations for ensuring privacy, security, credibility and reliability of medical and health information on the Internet. The company is backed by Burrill & Company, BioAsia Investments, Cambridge Innovations, Seaflower Ventures and MDS Capital. Veritas Medicine is located on the Web at www.veritasmedicine.com.

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CONTACT: Veritas Medicine, Cambridge Beth Spearman, 617/234-1533 spearman@veritasmedicine.com or American Liver Foundation, New York Edna Chin, 212/668-1000, Ext. 135 echin@liverfoundation.org or Schwartz Communications Shoba Vaitheeswaran, 781/684-0770 veritas@schwartz-pr.com

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