Marina Biotech Announces Patent Allowance Covering a "Tumor Homing" Peptide

BOTHELL, WA--(Marketwire - October 6, 2010) -  Marina Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA), a leading RNAi-based drug discovery and development company, today announced that the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) has issued a Notice of Acceptance for patent application 566281. Allowed claims cover one of the company's key delivery peptides that contains a "tumor homing" motif. This patent application adds to the Company's broad existing peptide based delivery technology which includes nanoparticle forming peptides and a Trp-cage peptide phage display library for selection of targeting ligands. Marina Biotech also announced the establishment of another early research effort with a major pharmaceutical company focused on the evaluation of its proprietary amphoteric liposomal formulations for pulmonary delivery. Additional details of the relationship were not disclosed. This adds to the Company's existing ongoing research and collaboration efforts and represents the sixth such effort announced in the last 12 months.

"In the past year, we have strengthened our intellectual property position by adding over 55 issued patents to our global patent portfolio with additions that significantly protect our nucleic acid delivery technology," stated J. Michael French, President & CEO of Marina Biotech. "Including this recent patent allowance, we now have over 50 patents worldwide protecting a broad array of nucleic acid delivery platforms including our peptide nanoparticle delivery technology, which includes this 'tumor homing' peptide; our tkRNAi platform for bacterial delivery of expressed short hairpin RNA; and our amphoteric liposomal delivery platform. Furthermore, Marina Biotech has over 200 pending patent applications worldwide, which include patent applications for our novel and proprietary DiLA² delivery platform and we have one of the youngest patent estates in the RNAi sector providing patent protection well into the late 2020s."

Effective delivery is a well-recognized hurdle in the development of RNAi-based therapeutics and Marina Biotech has taken a multifaceted approach to solving the challenges in the development of siRNAs as drugs. The addition of this patent further strengthens the Company's leadership in the field of RNAi delivery and complements the existing DiLA² liposome, amphoteric liposome and tkRNAi technologies.

About Marina Biotech, Inc.
Marina Biotech (formerly known as MDRNA, Inc.) is a biotechnology company, focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutic products based on RNA interference (RNAi). Marina's pipeline currently includes a clinical program in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (a precancerous syndrome) and two preclinical programs -- in hepatocellular carcinoma and bladder cancer. Marina Biotech's goal is to improve human health through the development of RNAi-based compounds and drug delivery technologies that together provide superior therapeutic options for patients. Marina Biotech's global portfolio includes 63 issued or allowed patents; 56 U.S. patent applications; 145 foreign patent applications; and 8 PCT applications providing broad coverage for siRNAs, chemistry, delivery and gene targets. Additional information about Marina Biotech is available at http://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 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 periodic reports on Form 10-K (under MDRNA, Inc.) and Form 10-Q that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Marina Biotech assumes no obligation to update and supplement forward-looking statements because of subsequent events.

Contact Information:

Contacts:

Marina Biotech, Inc.:
Mark Bales, Ph.D., J.D.
IP Counsel
(425) 908-3634