Photo Release -- Preclinical Study With SPX106T Reduces Growth Rate of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Photo Release -- Preclinical Study With SPX106T Reduces Growth Rate of
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spherix Incorporated
(Nadsaq:SPEX) – an innovator in biotechnology for therapy in diabetes,
metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis, and provider of technical and
regulatory consulting services to food, supplement, biotechnology and
pharmaceutical companies – today announced that its investigational drug
candidate SPX106T (a combination of SPX106 and D-tagatose) significantly
reduced the growth rate of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in two different
strains of mice prone to hyperlipidemia.

A photo accompanying this release is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=14020

In mice, AAAs can be provoked by hyperlipidemia and elevated blood pressure.
In this study apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE -/-) mice were given a Western
diet to promote hyperlipidemia and treated with SPX106T for four weeks before
implantation of osmotic minipumps containing angiotensin II (angII); infusion
of angiotensin was continued for an additional two weeks during the treatment.
Statistical analysis showed that the growth curves of the diameters from
aortas in the untreated ApoE -/- mice were greater than the growth curves in
the mice treated with SPX106T (p<0.05). Greater growth indicates dilation of
the aneurysm, with a concomitant increase in the risk of rupture and sudden
death. The study was conducted after a pilot study in low density-lipoprotein
receptor-deficient (LDLR-/-) mice given a Western diet, treated with SPX106T
and infused with ang II, showed a treatment-related reduction in aortic
diameter growth curves and atherosclerosis^1. False-color images of the
abdominal aortas from an LDLR-/- mouse treated with SPX106T that developed an
aneurysm, and an LDLR-/- mouse that received no drug treatment and developed
an aneurysm are shown in Figure 1.

Although the causes of AAAs in humans are unclear, risk factors include age,
gender, genetics, smoking, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, high blood
pressure and cerebrovascular disease. Spherix's research into the mechanisms
of action of SPX106T suggests that its pharmacologic activity may be a result
of lowering blood lipids. Others have reported that a metabolite of SPX106 (a
component of SPX106T) lowers matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). MMP-9 is a
proteolytic enzyme produced by vessel wall infiltrating macrophages that
contributes to wall weakening by degrading structural components, including
collagen. Tissue sections from the aortas of SPX106T treated LDLR-/- mice had
more collagen than untreated mice, corroborating MMP-9 reduction as a possible
mechanism by which SPX106T preserves collagen and reduces the rate of aneurysm
growth.

"These study results further our goal of expanding the application of SPX106T
to multiple indications where dyslipidemia has been suggested as a primary
risk factor," said Dr. Claire Kruger, Spherix's CEO, "Spherix is dedicated to
continuing the innovative research that will deepen our pharmaceutical
pipeline, and treatment of AAAs represents a potential new use for SPX106T. We
are now exploring grant applications, possibly in conjunction with a
pharmaceutical partner, as part of our plan to further develop SPX106T for
this indication."

About Spherix

Spherix Incorporated was launched in 1967 as a scientific research company
under the name Biospherics Research. The Company now leverages its scientific
and technical expertise and experience through its two subsidiaries –
Biospherics Incorporated and Spherix Consulting, Inc. Biospherics is dedicated
to developing and licensing/marketing proprietary therapeutic products for
treatment of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis. Biospherics is
exploring new drugs and combinations for treatment of high triglycerides, a
risk factor for atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Spherix's
Consulting subsidiary provides scientific and strategic support for suppliers,
manufacturers, distributors and retailers of conventional foods,
biotechnology-derived foods, medical foods, infant formulas, food ingredients,
dietary supplements, food contact substances, pharmaceuticals, medical
devices, consumer products and industrial chemicals and pesticides. For more
information, please visit www.spherix.com.

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Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to
provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors
are cautioned that such statements in this release, including statements
relating to planned clinical study design, regulatory and business strategies,
plans and objectives of management and growth opportunities for existing or
proposed products, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. The risks and
uncertainties include, without limitation, risks that product candidates may
fail in the clinic or may not be successfully marketed or manufactured, we may
lack financial resources to complete development of our products, the FDA may
interpret the results of studies differently than us, competing products may
be more successful, demand for new pharmaceutical products may decrease, the
biopharmaceutical industry may experience negative market trends, our
continuing efforts to develop products may be unsuccessful, our common stock
could be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, and other risks and
challenges detailed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this release. We
undertake no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to
these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or
circumstances that occur after the date of this release or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events. 

^1In these mice, linear discriminant analysis of the growth curves assigned
the mice to SPX106T-treated or Control groups with 100% sensitivity and 100%
specificity. Validation of these results using the method of Maitra et al.
indicated a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 75%.

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP
PhotoExpress.

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         Email: info@spherix.com

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